Here With Me
by HungerGamesLover15
Summary: All fathers of district twelve are taken to the Capitol when their oldest child reaches the eligible reaping age. For Katniss this is one of the most difficult times in her life. When she meets her future acquaintance Gale Hawthorne things begin looking up for her. Until the unthinkable happens. In her eighteenth year and last reaping, she is reaped and nothing is the same.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello my dear readers! This is my very first attempt at writing fan fiction so I don't know how it is going to go. I will not go in to detail much on appearances. I figure if you've read the books you should know. Also, if you have not read the book I suggest you hit the back button because this story and future stories will contain spoilers from the original book and you probably won't understand some things that I write. But if you don't care to read spoilers or to be slightly confused then by all means READ IT. Doesn't matter to me it's your choice. I apologize if some of the characters seem a little OOC. I am open to any criticism but not rude criticism. Please let me know if you have any ideas on how to make my story better. I take full credit for any grammar mistakes and if they are pointed out I will attempt to fix them ASAP. My author's notes usually will not be this long. This one is because it is the very first chapter and I would like to inform you of anything that I would like you to know now so I won't have to waste your time in the future. Anyway, thank you for taking your time to read my story and hopefully you will enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I am not the wonderful Suzanne Collins. I do not own ****_The Hunger Games _****(I wish...). All things recognizable go to their creators!**

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**Chapter One**

I just wish he was here. I hated growing up too fast. But I had to. For Prim.

One of the many unfair laws of the Capitol took my father away. _When the oldest child of a family reaches the reaping age of twelve years, the father of that family must be brought to the Capitol to serve community service. The father will only be returned if he survives the manual labor of the Capitol and his oldest child survives until their eighteenth year reaping or through the Games themselves.__  
_

It was so unfair. I had never seen my mother so distraught the day that we bid him goodbye for the next six years. I was thinking positive. I knew my father had the agility to survive any labor that the Capitol threw at him. I was just hoping that my name wouldn't get chosen for the reaping that was happening the following day. My very first reaping, and my name was already in that big glass bowl four times. That was three more than any of the merchant kids who didn't have to worry about what they were going to eat that night.

Luckily, my name was not drawn from the bowl that year. My father and I had been hunting for months before he left to save up for money and food for which I was grateful. The less time I had to spend out there alone, the better. But I knew I would soon have to begin hunting on my own when the two weeks supply of food began to dwindle to nothing. I woke up early one morning, threw on my father's hunting jacket that he left me, put my hair in a braid, and began my walk to the fence.

The fence is supposed to be electrified at all times, or so the Peacekeepers in The Hob say, but usually it's not. I stopped a couple feet from the fence and listened and the fence was as silent as ever. Then I stepped through the broken chain link and ran the few feet to the edge of the woods out of the prying eyes of the district.

It was so silent out there without my father. Although, it was usually quiet when he was with me, it was like you could feel his absence all around you.

I stepped up to the hollow log that I keep my bow and arrows in. I peeked in and sighed when I caught sight of my father's bow. It was going to be a long day.

And a long day it was. For that was the day that I met my future acquaintance Gale Hawthorne.

After checking out one of his intricate snares, having him catch me, and assume that I was steeling (I really wanted to tell him what happened when people assumed things but I held my tongue.) he finally asked my name.

"Katniss." I said softly.

"Well Catnip, you do know stealing's punishable by death," he replied.

"Kat_niss. _And I wasn't stealing, I was just looking."

That day I learned that Gale was two years older than me, making him fourteen, and that his father had been taken when he was twelve, just as mine had been a couple weeks before. Coincidentally, I began running into him more in the woods and we eventually came up with a meeting spot.

It took me a while to get used to Gale and him to get used to me. We finally decided it would be best to hunt together and split the game and profit that we sold at The Hob evenly.

We soon came up with a deal. If he taught me how to make snares, I would teach him how to shoot. He eventually became so talented that I gave him one of my father's bows that my father had made as a spare just in case.

I met Gale's family a year after I met Gale. His mother, Hazelle, immediately took me in saying that she had heard so much about me. Soon after, she began calling me her "second daughter" which, honestly, was kind of appropriate. The minute I walked in to The Hob with Gale by my side the rumors started and they haven't died down since.

Although there was nothing romantic between me and Gale then, and still not now, everyone believed that we would marry as soon as I turned eighteen. Not for romantic feelings for each other but for the convenience. Gale and I already split our food down the middle for the both of our families, why not have an extra house and an extra months free grain just for getting married?

But that was before. Before I was reaped for the 76th Hunger Games.

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**Please review and tell me what you think! Thanks!**

**-Britt**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: And here is chapter two. Review!**

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**Chapter Two**

**The Reaping**

When I woke early that morning it was already hot and humid. I changed in to my hunting clothes and headed for the fence. Finding it silent, as usual, I slipped under the broken chain. I grabbed my bow and arrows and made the short trek through the woods to mine a Gale's meeting spot. I glanced at a few snares on the way and found that they were already reset. _Good. _I thought. _I don't have to wait on them._

Gale's father, John Hawthorne, was returned two years ago after Gale's last reaping. Although he was free from the manual labor in the Capitol, he was still required to work in the mines six days a week.

John returned with the rest of the fathers the day after the reaping. There was so much happiness in the train station that day. Husbands and fathers greeting their wives and children with hugs a kisses. It was almost too much to bare. But I was there for the Hawthorne's and I knew he was there when I heard Hazelle's cry of relief. Through the crowd stepped a tall, strong looking man and I knew immediately that he was Gale's father. Hazelle had said it many times but I didn't have the proof until then. Gale looked just like his father.

Hazelle was pregnant with Posy, Gale's little sister, when John was taken to the Capitol. John didn't know what to do. He hated to leave his family but he knew that if he resisted he would be shot on sight. So he didn't, resist I mean. He did his manual labor in the Capitol and prayed for his family and the baby that he knew was on the way.

John Hawthorne saw his baby girl for the first time that day, and it was like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time. Although he already loved Posy before he even knew that she was a she, you knew as soon as his eyes landed on her that he fell in love again.

It was like Posy knew that John was her father. The minute Posy was in his arms she whispered, "Daddy," and Hazelle burst into tears.

I stepped through the treeline and saw that our rock was empty. I knew immediately something was not right. Something bad had happened or something bad was about to happen to me.

I took a step then gasped but I knew it was too late. I felt the rope tie around my ankles and pull me upside down hanging from the tree that was above me.

"Ugh! Gale Hawthorne! Get me down right now, dammit!" I screamed.

I swung to the side and saw an upside down Gale and John. They were both laughing their butts off.

Gale grabbed me into his arms so I wouldn't fall on my head while John untied the rope from my ankles. Gale was still laughing as he set me on my feet.

"I swear..."

"It's not nice to swear, Catnip," Gale interrupted.

"Well, it's not nice to interrupt... I swear! You two are supposed to be mature. Gosh!"

"Come on, Catnip. Let us have a little fun."

"It was Gale's idea. I had no part of this," John said.

"Oh, thanks for taking up for me, dad!"

I sighed and grinned. "Come on, let's go. How about fishing today?" I asked.

* * *

One thought had been on my mind all day. _If my name is not reaped, I will get to see my father tomorrow._

Gale, John, and I walked into the Hob. Gale immediately went over to Greasy Sae's booth like usual while John and I went to the Butcher to sell her our left over meat.

After trading at the Hob we walked around the back toward our houses. Gale gave his father a look and John nodded. Gale grabbed my arm and stopped me from walking while John kept going. As soon as John was around the corner Gale turned to me.

"Listen, Catnip," his voice was low and soft. "I want you to know that everything is going to be all right today."

"I know," I reply.

"You're going to get to see you father tomorrow."

I grinned, "I know."

He sighed. He reached into his pocket and pulled something out. He looked down at it and then took my hand.

"I saw this the other day at Sae's. I don't know why but I immediately thought of you when I saw it. Sae she, she saw me looking at it and she said 'You know what that is, right?' and I said no. She said, 'That's a mockingjay and most people say that when you are in the presence of a mockingjay nothing bad will ever happen to you.'"

He placed the pin in my hand. "I want you to have it and I want you to know that nothing bad is ever going to happen to you. I won't let anything bad ever happen to you."

I bit my lip and glanced down at the delicate mockingjay in my hand. "Thank you," I whispered and wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my face in his chest.

"I don't think you realize how much you mean to me, Catnip," he said.

"Same here," I replied.

I stepped out of his arms and looked up to see him grinning.

"Okay, enough mushy crap for one day. Let's go to a reaping," he said.

I laughed. We walked to the corner of the Hob and went our separate ways. Before I turned the corner to go to my house he called out to me,"Catnip!"

I turned and asked, "Yeah?"

He smirked, "Wear something pretty!" to which I replied with a roll of my eyes.

* * *

"Oh my, Primmy. You look beautiful!" I exclaimed when I walked through the front door.

My sister stood in front of our broken floor length mirror wearing the dress that my mother gave me to wear to my reaping a couple years ago. At fourteen, Prim was tall and beautiful which explained why she could fit in my reaping dress from just two years ago. She had obviously gotten our father's height.

"Not as beautiful as you," she replied.

"Now that's not true, Prim, and you know it." I said.

I came up behind her and squeezed her shoulders to comfort her before walking in the back room to bathe. After bathing I changed in to my last reaping dress.

As soon as I slipped the dress over my head the horn sounded indicating that it was time to go to the square. My hair would just have to stay in its braid. I walked from the room and took Prim's hand in mine. We walked out the door with our mother trailing behind us.

We met the Hawthorne's half way. Rory and Vick looked handsome in Gale's old reaping clothes just as Gale did when he wore them. I knew that they would be girl magnets just like Gale.

Rory was the same age as Prim, fourteen. This was Vick's very first reaping and like all twelve year old's he looked scared to death. When we walked up we could see Gale and Hazelle trying to calm the tears that were rolling down his face.

As if Gale could feel my presence, he stood a turned towards me. He took my hand. "Hey, Catnip." He smiled at my sister and mother. "Primmy, Mrs. Everdeen."

"Hello, Gale," my mother replied.

Gale dropped my hand and said, "Well, let's go."

He led us all to the square. When we got to the edge Prim, Vick, Rory, and I split from our parents and Gale. "See you all soon," John said.

Hugs were passed around and we were soon walking toward the table to sign in. We each went to our own age groups.

Effie Trinket walked on the stage not long after and began the same speech that she says every year. Then, before I knew it, she was saying, "Ladies first!" and I held my breath.

She walked to the bowl, dipped her perfectly manicured hand into it, and pulled out a name. She paused for dramatic effect and said the two most unthinkable things.

She said, "Katniss Everdeen."

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**Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey guys! First of all I want to give a special thanks to two readers.**

**Thank you _SimplyAbi_ for reviewing, and adding my story to your favorite and following!**

**Thank you _MISSYOCELINHAWTHORNE123_ for adding my story to your favorite and following!**

**Remember if you read my story I would love it if you reviewed. Any advice is welcome!**

**IMPORTANT!**

** I APOLOGIZE FOR THIS BUT I WILL BE SKIPPING THROUGH THE GAMES. I JUST FOUND THEM INCONVENIENT TO THE STORY AND HONESTLY I ATTEMPTED TO WRITE THEM AND THEY ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO WRITE. HOPEFULLY YOU UNDERSTAND. ALSO, PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS STORY TAKES PLACE TWO YEARS LATER THAN THE ORIGINAL HUNGER GAMES. SO MOST OF THE CHARACTERS WILL BE TWO YEARS OLDER THAN THEY WERE IN THE ORIGINAL. THE ONLY CHARACTER WHO'S AGE I HAVE NOT CHANGED IS CATO'S.**

**Enjoy! :)**

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**Chapter Three**

The Gamemakers forced us together with the mutts that looked an awful lot like the fallen tributes. I got to the Cornucopia before Cato did. When he jumped on the horn I had him beat instantly with my long range shot with my bow.

I aimed my arrow at his shoulder. I wasn't looking for the death blow. I couldn't do that. I pulled the string tight and then let it fly. The arrow hit its mark and Cato took a step back. His foot slipped off the edge of the Cornucopia and he went tumbling to the ground. The mutts were instantly on him and it wasn't long before I heard the sound of a cannon.

I won.

"Ladies and gentlemen. I give you the victor of the 76th annual Hunger Games. Katniss Everdeen the tribute from district twelve."

I then heard the rumbling of two hovercrafts. The first came and collected Cato's body. The other hovered over me and dropped a ladder down to my feet. I clutched to the ladder and the second both feet were on it, a force field held me in place.

I don't remember reaching the hovercraft. I lost conscious before I could reach the landing.

* * *

All I knew was darkness for the longest time. The only light I got was from the vivid and horrifying nightmares.

The first was of Rue. Poor innocent Rue, just barely fourteen and succumbed to the horror that is The Hunger Games. I keep picturing the spear disappearing into her stomach and me covering her with flowers. Eventually the nightmare turned into something unimaginable. Instead of Rue in the games with the spear in her stomach, it's my little sister Prim and then it's Gale, and my mother, and Hazelle, and each one of the kids, Rory, Vick, and then finally little Posy.

I finally jerk awake, screaming at the top of my lungs. I look around and I find that I'm in a hospital bed. I try to move but soon find that my wrists, ankles, and abdomen have been strapped to the bed.

The doctors enter my room a couple seconds later and they find me flaring about trying to get free.

"Let me go!" I screamed. "Let. Me. Go!"

The doctors try to calm me and when they fail one pulls a syringe from a drawer and grabs my IV. He plunges the plunger down into my IV and I again fall into darkness.

* * *

My fellow district partner, Peeta Mellark, was killed in the bloodbath the first day. I don't know how he was killed. I wasn't there when it happened. I found out when the names of The Fallen showed up in the sky that night. Everyone knew he didn't stand a chance. He was a merchant, eighteen like me. As soon as he was out of the reaping he was going to inherit his father's bakery. His two older brothers had married into other merchant families who owned businesses in town.

That's another thing I hated about the merchants. Their father's didn't get taken when the eldest child reached reaping age. It's only about money and your social class. If you're poor they take more things away from you to make you poorer. To make you suffer. The people in the Capitol believe that the poor are worthless, so they try to get rid of us in ways that they think is unnoticeable. But we notice.

Mine accidents happen frequently in district twelve. Almost too frequently. If the man survives, well let's just say the wives get a little excited that their husband lived, one thing leads to another and BAM! Baby on the way and the wife knows that in just twelve short years she going is to lose her husband anyway.

* * *

The dreams don't come this time and when I wake I find myself in the bedroom that I was kept in before the games. I sat up in the bed and searched the room for anything suspicious. To my left there was a side table and a piece of paper was the only thing that lie on it.

_Katniss,_

_Come to the dining room for breakfast when you are ready. And for god's sake take a shower. You reek!_

_Haymitch_

What an ass! I scan the paper again and find some writing at the bottom.

_P.S. Honey this is Effie. Don't listen to Haymitch. You smell fine, dear. I promise._

She signed it with _Effie _and with hearts and little smiley faces. I roll my eyes and sigh.

I jump from the bed and walk over to the chest of drawers that contain my clothes. I pull a random top and some black pants out of the drawer and walk to the bathroom where I proceed to take a shower because apparently I "reek".

Later, after I am showered and dressed, I go to the dining room where Haymitch, Effie, and Cinna sit. Cinna stands and holds his arms out while approaching me. He folds me in his arms when he reaches me.

"I told you, Girl on Fire," he whispers in my ear. "I knew you could do it. Congratulations!"

"Thank you," I reply in a whisper. It's then that I realize that I can barely talk.

"How long have I been out?" I croak.

"About three days," Effie replies as she stands to hug me. "Oh my. I'm so proud of my little victor. So proud!" she gushes.

I pull away from her and turn to the table where Haymitch is pouring liquor into his mug. "Hello, Haymitch," I say.

He grunts in reply; slightly glancing up at me before returning to his beverage.

Effie pulls me to the table and snaps her fingers. Instantly, a man in a red uniform, an avox, places a large plate of food in front of me. I immediately dig in, just now realizing how hungry I am.

"Now!" Effie says a little too loudly. "Let's discuss what happens tonight."

"What's tonight?" I ask after swallowing a huge mouthful of food.

"Tonight is the victor interview. Caesar Flickerman will be interviewing you on your performance in the Hunger Games. Don't worry you won't have to talk much. You just have to answer a few questions about your family back at home and then you will sit on stage while they play a three hour recap of the games."

I sigh. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Cinna dressed me in a beautiful strapless, knee length dress. It was green, which Cinna said complemented me very well.

Caesar didn't ask me many questions. Just the usual questions that he asked every new victor.

Did I miss my family? Of course!

How do you think they are reacting to your victory? Well, hopefully, they are excited.

The recap was a bit harder. Watching every single tribute get killed in their own way. Most of them were killed by the careers, I noticed. I also noticed that they cut out the part where I covered Rue in flowers.

I soon found out that Peeta died fighting against a career. Marvel, the male tribute from district one, and Peeta were in a hand to hand brawl at the very beginning of the games. Neither of them had weapons, just their hands. It was Marvel who came out in top when he slammed Peeta into the Cornucopia hitting his head and instantly killing him. And there it was, another debt that I would never be able to repay, the boy with the bread.

The recap ended with me shooting Cato in his shoulder and him falling to his death. The screen went black and the crowd went wild.

President Snow walked to my side then and I froze.

"Congratulations," he says in a low voice. He then places the gold crown in his hand on to my head. "You have made you district proud."

I am still frozen in place when he walks to the front of the stage and bows then walks backstage. Caesar bids everyone goodnight.

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**Sort of a filler chapter! Thanks. Review!**

**-Britt**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Wow! Two updates in one day! **

**Thanks to _Guest _who reviewed. Remember your reviews mean a lot to me! They may even motivate me to update quicker so REVIEW!  
**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Hunger Games!**

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I stepped off the train and into the train station in district twelve the next day. There was a huge crowd there to greet me. I smiled and waved or at least tried to. My mind and eyes were searching the crowd for Prim and my mother. Surprisingly, it was easy to spot Prim, for she was sitting atop my best friends shoulders. She had the biggest grin on her face and she was waving both of her hands wildly in the air at me.

I looked down at Gale and he was smirking. On one side he had my mother and the other his mother with his father standing beside her. I couldn't see the boys. As Prim was on Gale's, Posy was perched on her father's shoulders. Although she was far away and I couldn't hear her over the roar of the crowd, I knew she was screaming my name.

A voice came over the speaker of the train station. "All non-family members of Katniss Everdeen, please return to the town square or your homes at this time! All non-family members of Katniss Everdeen, please return to the town square or your homes at this time!"

The crowd quickly dispersed but not before most of them came to wish me congratulations. Darius, the peacekeeper, and Greasy Sae were the only ones that I actually knew really well.

Soon it was just Haymitch and Effie at my side. My sister and mother and the Hawthorne's were standing at the back of the station waiting for me to come down. I looked at Haymitch for permission and when he nodded I jumped from the landing and went running to my family. Prim all but jumped off of Gale's shoulders and came running to me.

"Katniss!" she exclaimed when we finally met in the middle. "I knew you could do it! I knew it!"

"Oh, I missed you so much Prim," I sighed. We broke out of our embrace and I kissed her forehead.

I glanced up as the others approached. "Mother!"

She enveloped me in her arms. Her breathing was shaky as were the arms that were around me.

I let go of her. Placing my hands on her shoulders I said,"I'm okay."

"I know," she replies, then pulls me back into her arms. I pull Prim into our hug and then we are a family again.

But one thing was missing. Dad.

I step back frowning. "Where's dad?" I ask. "He should be here by now."

"Some peacekeepers from the Capitol came to the house," my mother said. I felt my face go pale.

"They said he will be returning with the other fathers tomorrow," Prim finishes.

I sigh in relief. "Oh thank goodness."

I glance up and find the Hawthorne's still standing behind my mother and Prim.

"They let you all stay?" I ask.

"Yes. Why wouldn't they?" Hazelle asks.

"Well, it's not like I'm not glad to see you all," I joke. "It's just... you're not family. Only family was allowed to stay."

My mother and Prim and the Hawthorne's all glance at each other but stay silent. I can feel the sudden uneasiness in the room. Gale hasn't made eye contact at all with me since everyone left the station. Something's wrong.

* * *

When the Peacekeepers came to film the families of the final eight they started asking around for my friends. Everyone pointed them to Gale. Apparently though, Gale wouldn't work as my best friend. He was too handsome and male. They thought it would ruin my chances of becoming a sex symbol if I won the games. Not to mention Peeta Mellark confessed his undying love for me in his interview the night before the games started. I was supposed to be grieving his death, but I didn't know that. How was I supposed to grieve someone's death when I only had one memory of him anyway?

To fix the so called problem, President Snow came up with the idea of making Hazelle and John my aunt and uncle and my cousins Posy, Vick, Rory, and worst of all, Gale.

It was early the next morning and John, Gale, and I were waiting for day to break. We were sitting in the meadow in our woods. I loved the sound of that. "Our woods." I was finally home. After the horrors of the games it was nice to go back to reality for a while.

"So," Gale says suddenly. "How was it?"

"How was what? The Capitol? Or the arena?" I ask.

"Both?" he says it as a question.

"The Capitol? Fake. I've never seen so many fake body parts, and eyelashes in my life. You think Effie Trinket is bad? You should go to the Capitol-"

"I don't want to go to the Capitol! Ever!" he exclaims.

I look at him, shocked. He sighs and places his head in his hands. "I'm sorry," he whispers.

"It's okay," I whisper back.

John has been silent the whole time. "And the arena, Katniss?"

"Hell. That's the only way I can explain it. Never knowing what horror awaits you. When you wake up, sometimes you don't know where you are. Everyday when I woke, I thought I had just fallen asleep in our woods. Then I realize I'm in a tree and that the bow that is laying in my lap is not my father's but some Capitol bow that they made specifically for me to kill people with." I snort, "People. Some of them weren't even people. The way they thirsted for the death of others. They were more like animals."

I can't stop the tears that begin streaming down my face.

"And after," I continue. "After I got out of the arena, that's when the nightmares came and they haven't stopped since. Sometimes I don't even have to be asleep to see one of the dead tributes lying in front of me."

John reached behind me and rubbed my back while Gale wiped the tears from my face then took my hand.

We were silent for at least half an hour. The sun had just peeked above the trees when Gale broke the silence.

"Did you love him?" he asks.

"Who? Peeta?" I ask. He nods and I snort. "No. I hardly knew him. How could I love him?"

"He hardly knew you and he still loved you," John replied.

"I don't think he really lo-"

"He loved you!" Gale exclaimed again.

"And how do you know?" I ask my voice rising.

He scoffs,"You're so blind. You don't see how they look at you."

"Who's they?"

"The entire male population of Panem," he answers.

"And how do they look at me?" I ask, beginning to become frustrated.

"Most of them? Like you're a piece of meat that they can't wait to chow down on," he mutters.

"You think I would honestly sleep with a-"

"And then," he interrupts again. "There are the rare few. The-the rare ones that actually care about you and are in love with you."

"No one is in love with me," I whisper.

He jolts from his spot on the ground and disappears into the woods.

* * *

"I just don't get it," I say to John as we walk back from the meadow. We stayed there for a couple of hours not saying anything before he decided that we needed to get back to the district.

"Get what?" he asks.

"Why Gale is acting the way he is. He's never yelled at me like that before. Honestly, we've never even fought before. Do you know why he's suddenly snapping at me?"

"I do," he sighs. "But it's not my place to tell you. Gale will tell you when he is ready and when he believes you are ready."

We walk a few feet in silence and then a thought enters my head.

I smile. "I get to see my dad today."

"Yes you do. Your father is a wonderful man. We worked the same mine shift before I was taken." John responded.

"Really? I didn't know that."

"Yeah, we did. Small world isn't it?"

"More like small district," I reply.

* * *

It was half an hour prior to noon when I got back to the Victor's Village where my mother, Prim, and I are staying. The train is supposed to come at noon with the fathers of district twelve.

Prim was already dresses in a beautiful pink silk dress, a gift she got yesterday from Effie. My mother and Prim met me at the front door as I walked in. I walked right back out the door when I saw that they were coming with me. We would get to the train station right on time if we left now.

We got to the station just as the big clock struck twelve. And when it struck we heard the whistle of the train slowing down on the tracks. As soon as the train stopped everyone gathered around the doors. When they opened cries of relief and happiness filled the station.

It wasn't until an hour later when that same relief filled my mother, Prim, and me. Stepping through the crowd was the most important man in my life.

"Dad!" Prim and I exclaimed.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and follows and favorites! Here's chapter five!**

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**Chapter Five**

"Jacob Everdeen. It's good to see you!" John said the next day when we met to hunt.

"John Hawthorne! Good to see you, too!" My father replied. They shook hands.

When I saw John and Gale waiting for us at the rock this morning dad and I were both shocked, but for two different reasons. Dad was shocked because he thought it would just be us. He didn't know anyone else came out here to hunt. He thought everyone else was just too scared.

"Why aren't you guys working?" I asked.

"They gave us three days off for your homecoming," Gale replied without looking at me and I glared at him.

"Dad, you know John. This is his son Gale," I tell my father.

"Nice to meet you, son!" my father says, sticking his hand out to Gale's.

"You too," Gale replied with a smile.

My father looked at me then,"Homecoming?" he asked and my face paled.

"Uhh... Y-yeah," I stuttered. I sat down on the big rock, closed my eyes, and tried to control my breathing.

Gale came over and knelt in front of me. He places one hand on my knee and the other on my shoulder.

"Hey," he whispers. "You're okay. You're here with me."

I open my eyes and the images that were before me were horrifying. I saw Marvel on his knees with an arrow in his chest and little Rue was laying at his feet. Cato was to the left of them with an evil grin on his face. The last thing I remember before the darkness was my scream.

* * *

"Catnip?" I hear Gale ask as I wake from my foggy haze. Then I hear, "Come on, Katniss. It's time to wake up." Prim.

I slowly open my eyes and find Gale and Prim leaning over me. My mother is standing at the end of the bed. I try to move my hands to wipe my eyes and find that I can't move them. I look and realize each hand is being held, one by Prim and the other by Gale.

"What happened?" I ask.

"You fainted in the woods when your father asked about your Homecoming," my mother answers. "Gale brought you back here while John and your father went hunting."

The memories came rushing back. Marvel and Rue and Cato. I shook my head to rid them of those thoughts.

"Get her a glass of water, would you Prim?" my mother asks.

"Of course," my sister leaves the room.

When the door closed behind Prim, my mother and Gale exchanged a glance then turned to me.

"We talked to Haymitch," Gale said. "He said it used to help him when he talked about it to someone. Tell us about it. The games, anything, Catnip. Just tell us something that haunts you. Maybe if you tell someone it will get it off your mind."

I sit up in the bed then squeeze his hand as tears begin to roll down my face.

"The one that has haunted me the most is when Rue died. I keep seeing Marvel. He throws the spear and it hits her in the stomach," I sob. "And-and then I see the arrow in his chest and Rue covered with flowers. I see everything that happened in the games but then they change. It happens in the same concept but it's P-Pr-Prim that I'm singing to and covering in flowers as she dies. And as she dies she's screaming, 'Why? Why couldn't you save me?" I glance at Gale, "And it's-it's-it's you instead of Marvel. And the arrow is in your chest and you're on your knees and you're screaming, 'Why did you do it, Catnip? Why did you shoot me? I thought I was your best friend. I thought you-' and then you die." I whisper the last four words. Gale scoots on the bed and pulls me into his lap wrapping me in his arms.

I sob into his chest. I rant to my mother and Gale for the next hour. Prim never returns with the water that my mother sent her for and I finally realize that that was their code. My mother didn't want Prim to hear about my nightmares so when my mother believed the conversation was getting to be too much for her she sent her away.

Gale sleeps in the bed with me that night, and it's the first night that I don't have nightmares since leaving the games.

* * *

I wake up to a presence above me.

"Shh... go back to sleep, Catnip. I'm just leaving for work," Gale whispers. He kisses my forehead and begins to walk away.

"Hey," I whisper as I grab his hand.

"Yeah?"

"Please be careful," I reply.

"Always."

* * *

When I wake again, it's on my own. The sun is shining brightly through the window.

I shower and put some clothes on. Just as I slip my shirt on over my head there is a knock on the door. "Katniss?"

"Come in, Prim," I reply.

"Here's your water," she says as she enters.

I turn around and laugh. "Prim, mom told you to get that water for me yesterday."

She giggles, "I know."

She sits down on my bed and I turn back to the vanity. I grab my mockingjay pin that Gale gave me and put it on just under the collar of my shirt.

"Did Gale stay here last night?" Prim asks.

"Yeah, why?"

"Just wondering," she replies. "I didn't see him leave last night."

I join her on the bed.

"So, how's everything going with you and Gale?" she asks.

"What do you mean with me and Gale?" I retort.

"Oh come on. You know what I mean," she replies.

"No," I pause. "I don't."

She looks shocked. "You honestly don't know? You don't see the way he looks at you?" she asks.

"I didn't think he looked at me any special way," I reply.

She stands from the bed and walks to the door. "I hope he tells you soon, for both of your sake's," she says then leaves the room.

Tell me what?

* * *

Later that night, when my dad, John, and Gale got off work, our two families decided to have dinner together. My mother made a soup out of the two wild turkeys that I had gotten while hunting today. I also stopped by the Hob and got some vegetables, too.

We were having a great time. We were laughing and telling old stories. It was a wonderful sight. It felt good to see the kids with full bellies. But the dinner soon went from good to bad.

About half way through the dinner, our front door burst open. Two Peacekeepers walked in; a man and a woman.

"Miss Everdeen?" the woman asked.

I stood from the table.

"Yes?" I peek behind the Peacekeepers and out the front door that was left open. There were at least a dozen more Peacekeepers outside on my front porch.

"Is there anywhere in your home where a private meeting can be held with a very important man?" the man asks.

"Um- uh yeah, yes sir. Our study is down the hall," I reply pointing.

He nods and turns to the door. "Bring him in."

A path is made on the porch and a man steps through them. He passes the threshold of my home and smiles. Gasps are heard behind me from my family but I am frozen in my place.

"Ah, Miss Everdeen. It's so wonderful to see you again." he said while grinning evilly.

President Snow.

* * *

"So, Miss Everdeen. How are you adjusting to your new home?" the president asks me after we entered and got settled in the study.

"It's wonderful and so beautiful," I reply.

He sighs, "You know, I was never one for small talk; so let's get right to the point. Every victor is required to begin appointments after their Victory Tour."

"Appointments, sir?" I ask.

He grins, "Yes, appointments. Every victor sells their body to the patrons of the Capitol. We have to keep our citizens happy, don't we. And what better way to give them what they want? Physical pleasure."

"And if I refuse?" I ask.

"If you refuse? There will be severe consequences. You love your family, don't you? Your sister, you parents. Your _cousins._" he asks.

I pale. "Of course I do."

"Then I suggest you not refuse. Have you ever thought why your fellow mentor does not have any family or a wife? Johanna Mason? She's the same, no family, no husband. And there are many others who do not have loved ones only because they refused to go along with the appointments." he stands from behind the desk. "I suggest you agree; for the sake of your loved ones."

I nod slowly.

"Good. Your Victory Tour begins six months from tomorrow's date. I suggest you be ready to begin your appointments then. Goodbye Miss Everdeen."

* * *

**Review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hello everyone! Thanks soooo much for the recent reviews and follows and favorites. I want to answer a few questions that were in the reviews.**

**Q. Are the Everdeens and Hawthornes living in the same house?**

**A. No, I did not intend for them to be living in the same house. I just believe that both families were closer than the original books showed and I wanted to imply that in my story. I did look over a few of the chapters again and I realize now how some of you got that thought. I apologize for any confusion.**

**Q. Are Gale and Katniss really cousins.**

**A. No, they are not cousins. As stated in a previous chapter, President Snow came up with the idea of making them act like cousins because he thought it would ruin Katniss's chances of becoming a sex symbol for the Capitol.**

**If there are any more questions feel free to ask. Now on to the story!**

**IMPORTANT**** There will be a slight time jump in this chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter Six**

**5 Months Later...**

It was early morning when the sirens went off and my heart went in to my throat. The mines.

I was up in a flash and out the door when I heard my sister screaming my name from the front porch. "Katniss! What are you doing?"

I turned to see the confused look that was plastered on her face. It was then that I realized that I couldn't hear the sirens anymore and that it was still dark meaning the miners hadn't even woken to go to the mines yet. Was is just a dream? No. I swear I heard it in the house when I woke.

"Come back in, Katniss. There's a special announcement on the television," she says then walks back inside the house.

_Breaking News! Breaking News! _was written several times across my television screen. I took a seat next to my father and snuggled close to him.

"Hello and good morning, Panem. In breaking news, the victor of the 65th Hunger Games, Finnick Odair, the victor of the 70th Hunger Games, Annie Cresta, and the victor of the 71st Hunger Games, Johanna Mason have been reported missing after their absence was noted at a Capitol party last night. President Snow, worried for their well-being, sent out Peacekeepers to search the mansion that the three victors had been staying in while visiting the Capitol only to find the entire place destroyed. Peacekeepers believed it to be a possible kidnapping and as of right now have no leads as to where the precious victors could be. This is Sunshine Silver, reporting to you from the Capitol Square." The screen went black.

"I wonder where they are," Prim says.

"I don't know," I reply. "I just hope they are okay."

* * *

I knocked loudly on Haymitch's door. "Haymitch!" I scream. No reply. "Open the damn door, Haymitch." No reply.

I turned the knob expecting to have to fight to get it open but found it surprisingly unlocked. I stepped through the filth of Haymitch Abernanthy's home. The floor consisted of empty wine and liquor bottles as well as everyday trash, which I guess for Haymitch liquor bottles are everyday trash.

"Oh, hey sweetheart!" he said as I walk into his living room. "Why didn't you knock?" he asks, suddenly angry.

"I did knock!" I reply.

He cackles. "Yeah, I know," he says. "I just didn't feel like getting up. And I like yanking your chain." He pulls on my braid.

"You know, if I didn't do everything I didn't feel like doing, my family and I would be dead," I retort.

"Well that's your problem, sweetheart."

I sigh,"Did you hear about Finnick, Annie, and Johanna?"

"The whole country heard about Finnick, Annie, and Johanna. But only a select few of us know the real truth of where they went. Or at least suspect where they went." He mutters that last sentence.

"What do you mean? They weren't kidnapped?" I ask.

"Kidnapped?" he exclaimed, then burst laughing. "You really think someone in all of Panem could kidnap a victor. Let alone three."

"It wouldn't be that hard to kidnap you," I mutter.

He ignores my comment. "They escaped," he says.

"Escaped?" I whisper.

"To District Thirteen," he replied just as silently.

"District Thirteen does not exist," I say.

"Whatever you say, sweetheart. But I for one know the truth, and the truth is many victors are about to start disappearing. And the Capitol? They're gonna say that it's a kidnapping because that's what they believe and they're gonna say that they are doing everything they can to get their precious victors back, but the truth? The truth is that they don't give a damn. They want the victors to drop off the map because they think that we think that we are invincible, that we can get away with anything. And we can."

* * *

After the talk with Haymitch I headed out to the woods. I stop just a foot in front of the fence and make sure it is not on before crawling under the broken link. Gale, John, my dad, and I had caught enough game the day before to last us a week and almost two if we spare it, so I didn't even grab my bow. I had to think. I went to the little concrete house that my father and I found when I was little. It would be warmer in there. I walked in to the little house just as the snow began to fall again. It had been snowing for the past two days and had finally stopped overnight but the break was short lived.

I made a fire in the little fire place and sat beside it. Thoughts were going crazy in my head.

_Escape. District Thirteen._

Could what Haymitch said really be true? Did District Thirteen really exist? It had to be. Where else could the other victors gone off to?

_We could make it._

Something Gale said a couple years ago runs through my mind. Could we really make it? Is it worth it to drag the kids out into a snow storm if it meant freedom and safety?

Yes. Yes it is.

* * *

"What do you mean you want to leave?" Gale yells.

It was two and a half weeks later and Gale, John, my dad, and I were in the meadow. The snow had officially stopped the day after my decision to leave, and had already melted.

"Exactly that," I reply.

"I don't know about this, Katniss," my father says.

"Yeah, honey," John agrees. "It's kind of risky."

I turn back to Gale. "You said we could do it! The morning of Prim's first reaping you said that we could run away!"

"That was before you were a victor, Katniss. We planned it out last year but you said you wanted to wait because Jacob was coming home in a year." He pointed to my father. "That was before your name was called. Now that you're a victor, if you disappear, they will search the entire world for you. They'll find us in an instant. Remember? The Peacekeepers in the Capitol are searching the entire country for those three victors that got kidnapped," Gale says.

I look at my feet. "No they aren't," I whisper.

"What?" my father asks.

"They are not looking for Finnick, Annie, and Johanna. They could care less about the victors," I say. I told them everything that Haymitch told me about the victors.

"And if we left, where would we go?" John asks.

I pause then say, "District Thirteen."

"There's no such thing, Katniss. You know that," Gale says. "I know you don't believe in that place because you had to convince me that it didn't exist."

"Well, I believe in it now," I say. "And I want to go there. If it means safety for all of us, I'm willing to risk it. The question is are you? All of you?"

"I don't know," John says while shaking his head.

"Please think about it. But if we are going to leave we need to leave in less than a week and a half," I say.

"Why?" my father asks.

"I leave for the Victory Tour in a week and a half and we can't leave after that. It will be too late," I answer quietly.

"Too late?" he asks.

I bite my lip. "Yeah. After-after the Victory Tour I will be spending most of my time in the Capitol."

Gale looks at me suspiciously. "What are you hiding?" he asks.

"President Snow, he-he's ma-making me do-" I stutter.

Gale's eyes show suddenly flared, "Appointments!" I slowly nod my head.

"Appointments?" my father asks.

"Yeah," I reply. "During the Victory Tour I will have my first appointment." There's still a confused look on both my father and John's face.

"Appointments," Gale says through gritted teeth. "Are when the victors of the Hunger Games sell their bodies to Capitol men."

"And sometimes women," I whisper.

"Why is he making you do it? Some of the other victors don't. Believe me I would know if they did," my father asks with anger in his voice.

"Yes, some victors don't do appointments. That's because they refused-"

"But-" Gale interrupts but I hold my hand up.

"But have you ever noticed that the people who aren't sex symbols also have no family? That's because they refused. So the Capitol killed their family. If I would have refused," I say turning to Gale again. "You would have been the first to go, then Prim and so on. It's an endless chain either way. Either I sleep with many Capitol men or you all die."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thanks for the recent reviews, follows, and favorites! I just noticed that I haven't done a disclaimer since the first chapter soooo...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games!**

* * *

It wasn't but a few days later that they all agreed. They understood the peril we were in. Everyday I would gather different things for our trip. Haymitch had decided to come with us. He had an old map of Panem that had District Thirteen on it before it was supposedly destroyed. Haymitch, Gale, John, Jacob, and I sat around my kitchen table last night discussing the route that we would take. We concluded that it would take about two months to get to Thirteen on foot. And then it was finished. We were set to leave in one week and two days. Two days before I was supposed to leave for my Victory Tour.

* * *

We decided not to tell the kids until the night that we left. My family and Haymitch stayed at Gale's house that night.

Before we had left my house to go to the Hawthorne's I asked my sister, "What are the three most important things that you can not live without?"

She looked at me quizzically. "Hmmm," she thought. "The locket that dad gave me when I was born." _That'll be easy. _I thought. _She will already have it on._ "Buttercup," she continued. "And you, mom, and dad. And of course the Hawthorne's," she smiles.

I smiled back and nodded. "Okay. I was just wondering."

She walked from the room. This was going to be difficult. We couldn't bring Buttercup. He was just another mouth to feed.

* * *

I knocked on the mayor's back door half an hour later. Mayor Undersee opened the door groggily as if he had just woken from a deep sleep.

His eyes lit up when he saw me. "Oh! Hello, Katniss," he said. Then his features turned from happiness to confusion. "Did you go hunting today?" he asked.

"No," I reply. "I wanted to talk to you and Madge about something."

"Of course," he replied. "Come on in and I will call her down."

"Actually, I would rather have the conversation out here if you don't mind."

"Course not. Be right back," he said.

A minute later he returned with his only daughter, Madge, by his side.

"Hello, Katniss," she greeted.

"Hi," I reply.

"So, what is it that you wanted to speak to us about?" Mayor Undersee asked.

"Well," I begin. "My mother is making us get rid of our cat. Apparently he is too messy to be living in the Victors Village with us. So... I was just wondering if you were willing to take in a cat. You're the only people in town that I trust to take care of him, and my sister would be crushed if she knew that he went to a bad home."

Madge's eyes brightened excessively. "Oh yes, Katniss. We would love to take him in! I've always wanted a cat," she exclaims.

"Why not?" Mayor Undersee says.

So the cat goes to the Undersee's and I hope that my sister doesn't hate me for it.

* * *

That night we ate dinner together and went to bed early. Gale woke me at eleven. We woke our parents and the children and brought them to the living room. We decided that Gale would be the one to explain to the children why we couldn't stay anymore.

There were tears. Lots and lots of tears. All Posy could ask was "why". She didn't understand what was happening.

Forty-five minutes later we began pulling coats and backpacks on. Gale had played the same "game" with his siblings and placed each thing that they could not live without into a bag along with their clothing.

I pulled Posy's jacket on and zipped it up. Standing, I noticed Gale, John, and my father in an intense discussion in the kitchen.

"I can't let you do this," John said as I approached.

"Do what?" I ask.

My father gives me a sympathetic look while Gale and John ignore me.

"Take the women and children and get as far away from here as possible. Go to the cabin. If I'm not there in a couple of hours, leave without me," Gale says.

"You're not leaving with us?" I ask.

"No, I have to make it look like we died. Make it look like an accident. But it may not turn out well," he says.

"What do you mean 'it may not turn out well'?" I ask.

"It's midnight," Hazelle says from the living room. We nod and turn back to our conversation.

"You all have to go now," Gale says.

"Let me stay with you. They can handle it without me," I say.

"No! You need to go, Katniss," Gale exclaims. "I can't risk losing you, too." The family walks up. "I love you all. You need to go now. Hopefully I'll catch up with you."

"But Gale-" I protest. My father takes my arm.

"We need to go honey," he says.

My mother, Prim, Haymitch, and the Hawthornes are already out the door. Gale holds up his hand to my father and he releases me. Suddenly, Gale takes my face in his hands and places his lips on mine for a brief moment and I'm frozen in my place.

"I'm in love with you," he says when he pulls away. "And if I die tonight, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

My stunned silence and frozen stature is enough for John and my father to pull me from the room.

* * *

**Sorry it's kind of short! Review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Wow! Thank you all sooooooo much for the reviews for the last chapter! I'm so glad you liked it. Sorry it was so short. I just felt a shorter chapter was necessary, but this is longer so I hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own ****_The Hunger Games_****!**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

_I'm in love with you..._

Those words were etched into my mind as we walked through the forest. Posy had long fallen asleep in John's arms and Vick was soon to be the same. We had been walking for an hour and a half, and it was a two hour walk.

**Flashback**

_"Please!" I pleaded. "Please just tell me what he's doing!"_

_We were at the fence and I refused to cross until I was told the reason that Gale might die tonight._

_"We-" John began. But the loud explosion behind me was enough to answer my question. Dynamite. They must have stolen it from the mines._

_I turned around and looked across the meadow. Above the other buildings you could see the fiery smoke that began to rise._

_"No!" Hazelle screamed. "My baby!"_

_And I took off running but my run was short lived for my father caught me and dragged me over the fence. John was soothing Hazelle as the tears rolled down all of our faces._

_My father and John pulled the entire family into the edge of the woods so we would not be seen by Peacekeepers that were bound to pass any minute to investigate the explosion._

_We laid on the forest floor for an hour before my father and John insisted that we had to leave._

**End of Flashback**

Tears were streaming down my face as I recalled what had happened just a couple hours before. In love with me? How could I have never known? All the signs were there.

Vick stumbled over his own two feet.

"We're almost there, Vick," John says. "Just hang in there."

Fifteen minutes later the cabin came into view. We walked in and my father and I immediately went to the pile of wood that we had collected before he was taken. I helped him carry a few logs to the fire place and he began to start a fire while I helped the kids make pallets on the floor out of the few blankets that we brought with us.

The kids fell asleep quickly but it took a bit longer for the parents to fall asleep. I'm glad they all could find sleep. I couldn't even shut my eyes. Every time I tried all I saw was Gale going up in flames. One of my worst fears had come true. Gale was dead.

* * *

I found sleep close to sun up. We had decided before going to bed that we would wait until the sun was up before leaving again. That would give Gale plenty of time to find us, if he was still alive that is. Last night I tried to convince myself that he was dead. I saw the flames; he had to be dead. But I didn't feel the empty feeling of the dead. I could feel him; he could still be alive.

Posy woke a few times in the night whimpering for her oldest brother and Hazelle had to console her. It was difficult. I can't imagine what is going on in little Posy's head right now. She must be terrified. Hazelle ended up bawling with her. Although I could tell she was trying to be quiet, she wasn't hiding it very well.

We all eventually fell asleep and stayed asleep. I woke up just before the sun as usual. I went to hunt on my own. It felt strange not to have Gale flanking my left side. I felt bare without him and ended up missing a fat dear that would have been great for breakfast. I ended up with three fat white rabbits that would have to do until I could hunt again.

The sun was peaking over the horizon when I returned to the cabin. John had a small fire going in front of the cabin big enough to cook our breakfast but not big enough the draw any hovercrafts our way if any were to pass by.

"Goodmorning," he says.

"More like just 'morning'," I mutter.

John sighs,"Look, I'm sorry about Gale, Katniss. But-"

"Why are you not worried?!" I interrupt. "That's your son! He could be dead and all you're worried about is saving your skin!"

"No!" he exclaimed. "What I'm worried about is getting as many people as I can safely to District Thirteen and if lives have to be lost then so be it."

"You're crazy! You're telling me that you're not the least bit worried about your own son?" I ask.

"Of course I'm worried! That's my son! He made the sacrifice though. He knew what he was getting himself into. I begged and pleaded to him to let me take his place and you know what he said?" he asks. I shake my head.

"He said, 'I want to be a hero. I want to be the person that people remember, especially Katniss. I want her to know that I risked my life to make sure that she had the life that she wanted, the best life she could have.'"

"Well, guess what?" I say and I choke up. "The- the joke is on him. Because- because I don't want a life that doesn't have him in it. He was always a hero to me, whether he knew it or not."

* * *

We traveled twelve hours that day, only stopping for restroom and snack breaks. We found a clearing that we thought would be perfect for the night. The only problem was we would have to be outside.

There were a few bare branches that hung down from the trees above. We decided to spare a few blankets. We hung three of our largest blankets into a small triangle from the branches and tied the corners together forming a small "tent". Hopefully it would keep the wind chill out for the night. We didn't have enough blankets for each of us so some had to share. Posy and Vick shared one and Prim and I shared one. It was a tight fit in our makeshift tent but the closeness kept some body heat in. We all quickly found sleep.

* * *

It was the middle of the night when I woke to the sound of footsteps outside our tent. I grabbed my bow and stepped out, careful not to wake anyone.

I stepped slowly around our tent looking in all directions and keeping my bow knocked. Nothing. I took one more glance around before turning to step back in the tent. That's when I felt the hands grab my arms and I screamed.

"Wake up! Help! Somebody wake up!" I scream.

"Shhhhh," I heard behind me but it was too late. My family was already up. And that's when all of their faces lit up.

Posy stands with a grin on her face. "Gale Gales!" she exclaims.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thanks for the recent reviews, follows, and favorites! They mean the world to me. Sorry if you think Gale came back too soon. I know you loved it when he was gone... (SARCASM!)**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own ****_The Hunger Games_****!**

* * *

Gale. He was alive. The entire family gathered around him and we had a giant group hug. Except for Haymtich. He missed his alcohol and was in a foul mood. After our group hug Gale hugged us all individually. When he came around to me I punched him in the shoulder and said, "Gale Hawthorne! Don't you ever do that-"

Before I could finish his lips were on mine. I was stunned just as I had been the first time. "-to me again," I finished when we parted.

He grins. "Don't do what again? Scare you or kiss you?" he asks.

I sigh and take a step back. I stare at the ground as I say, "Both," then look to his face just as it begins to fall.

"I'm sorry," I whisper. "I'm glad you're okay."

The disappointment is written across his face and he's giving me the look that I was afraid of. I never wanted Gale to be unhappy. But I couldn't love him back. Not yet.

* * *

We go hunting the next day; just Gale and me. We had been hunting for almost an hour and hadn't said a single word to each other.

He sighs, "Come on, Catnip. We need to stop ignoring the elephant in the room."

"Well, you see," I begin. "There's two problems with that. First of all we're out in the forest and second there isn't an elephant."

He frowns. "I'm serious, Katniss. We need to talk about this." I knew he was serious when he called me by my real name.

"What is there really to talk about?" I ask.

"Oh, I don't know. How about the fact that I finally said 'I love you' to you? Or the fact that you blew it off like it was nothing?" he says heatedly.

"That's because it is nothing!" I reply. "You don't love me."

"Like hell," he retorts. "Do you even know what love is?"

"Of course I do!" I exclaim.

"Okay, yes you know what love is. You love your sister and your mother and your father. But do you know what it's like to be _in _love? Do you know what it does to your heart?" he asks.

"No I don't. I don't know what it's like to be in love because I'm not in love with anyone. I've never been in love with anyone and I probably never will. I don't want to fall in love, Gale, even if it's with you. I-I'm sorry. But I don't want to fall in love with you. We're too close. We've been through too much together to just throw it away. And if I fall in love with you? And we try this? What if it didn't work? We'd have this wonder of what used to be and what could have been and-"

"Stop," he interrupts. "Can I just tell you what being in love is?"

"How do you know what being in love is? You can't just think you know because you think you're in love with me."

"I don't think that I'm in love, okay? I know. I-I asked my father. I told him how I was feeling about you. He just laughed. He said that it was normal. 'Just a man falling in love' he said. I told my father that I was constantly thinking about you. And every time that I am with you, I just want to hold you." I was shocked to see tears running down his face.

"It feels like you're the only thing in the world that could make me happy," he whispers. He steps forward taking my hands and placing his forehead to mine. "I want to be with you. I love you! I know I do. This is it. You're it for me, Katniss. I'm never going to want anyone more than I want you."

I sigh and pull back slightly. "Listen to me. How do you know that I'm the one forever? I don't understand that. I don't under-"

"I don't either. I just know, Catnip. I know that I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I don't know how, but I know." he responds.

"I want you, when we get to District Thirteen, to find a girl that deserves you," I say and his face falls once again. "One that's not broken. I don't want to hurt you, Gale."

"I hate to say this, but you're hurting me by rejecting me," he says angrily.

"Now that's a low blow," I reply just as heatedly. "You can't force someone to fall in love with you! Okay? I'm sorry that I don't love you, but you're just gonna have to deal with it. Find someone that deserves you."

I turn and walk back to the camp but not before I hear him slump to the ground and try to stifle his sobs. Great. This just got ten times harder. When I return to camp there is no mistaking the same tear streaks on my own face.

* * *

I sit in our makeshift tent that night. We didn't travel any today. Gale still wasn't back. Of course, we were all worried, but no one wanted to risk going out in the dark to find him. We would wait until morning, but don't I think I could wait that long. Something was wrong. I could feel it.

An hour after sunset, we ate dinner, and after that I knew I could wait no longer and I stood. Everyone looked at me.

"Where are you going?" Prim asks.

"I have to find Gale," I say. I grab my bow that is sitting beside me and toss the sheath on my back.

"Katniss, it's too dark."

"Yeah wait until morning."

"Don't go Kat Kat."

Dad, Hazelle, and Posy. All knew would protest.

"Look. I'm the reason he hasn't come back yet and I can't shake the feeling that something's wrong. Even if I did upset him very badly, I know he has enough common sense to come back before dark," I say. "I'm going. If we're not back by sun up, leave without us. We'll find you."

I kiss Prim on the forehead. "I love you." And I walk out the slit in the blankets into the frosty air.

* * *

**Wow! I gotta know... Was it too early for Katniss and Gale to have that heart to heart? Was it too much? Too OOC? Review or PM me and let me know!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Okay I'm guessing it was a little too much... Oh well that happens sometimes. I promise they will be a little bit more in character this chapter and hopefully future chapters.**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own The Hunger Games.**

*******IMPORTANT! Please read the authors note at the end of this chapter!*******

*******IMPORTANT! This chapter will be REALLY short. Sorry for the inconvenience.*******

I walked back to camp right before daybreak. I didn't find Gale. That worried me. I had gone back to the place where we had our fight; which I now realize was a ridiculous fight. He had been missing for ten hours now. I had no idea where else to look until I saw him sitting next to our father's and Haymitch in the clearing.

My mouth dropped open. I stop at the treeline and say, "How long have you been back?"

They all turn to me.

"Oh, thank God, Catnip," Gale says as he stands. "I've been so worried." He makes his way towards me and I to him. But when I near him I begin shaking my head and walk right by him. I enter the small tent and find my mother, Hazelle, and the children packing up their things.

"Good," I say. "We're leaving in an hour."

"Katniss!" Prim exclaims. "I'm so glad you're back. We've all been so worried. Gale's been back for hours."

"Hours?" I ask angrily.

"Yes, hours," Hazelle replies. "He wanted to go out and look for you but we refused. We didn't want both of you getting lost again."

"He came back about an hour after you left," Rory says.

"So you're saying I went out there for nothing?" I exclaim and stamped out of the tent.

"So I went out there looking for your sorry ass for nothing!" I scream as I approach Gale. Haymitch and our father's have disappeared.

"Catnip-" he began.

"Oh, don't you "Catnip" me! You can't just go running off after we have a fight! I don't care what the fight is about. Whether it's about you being in love with me or something simple like what we're going to eat that night, you can't go running off every time I make you mad or upset."

"I just needed time to think, Katniss. But you know what? What you said earlier was right. I should just let you go. I mean it's not like you're ever going to love me anyway. So that's what I was doing; I was letting you go. And that's what I did."

"Good," I whisper and turn away from him, back to the tent. I'm sure everyone heard everything. How could they not?

I stick my head in the tent. "It's time to go." They all nod. I exit the tent once again with everyone behind me. The fathers and Haymitch have reappeared. We fold up the blankets and place one in each bag. Haymitch pulls out the map.

"Okay, which way's North?" he asks.

* * *

Hours later we feel as if we have traveled days. Everyone is exhausted. We haven't seen a water trail since we left our little clearing. We had filled our bottles before we left and, even though it was winter and very cold, we were still just as thirsty as if it were the middle of summer.

The Capitol must have noticed our absence by now. Must have realized that we were supposedly in the explosion that Gale had created. My worst fear was that they would investigate the explosion, but when I advertised this my father quickly shot it down saying that the Capitol people would just believe it to be an accident. A mine that was left underground after they moved the opening of the mines to where they stand today.

Gale's and my house used to be the location of the entrance to the old mine. That's pretty much what the Seam was; just a big giant mine. It was expected that one of the houses would blow up eventually. That made it the perfect cover up for our escape.

So we went on. And on. And on. And on.

* * *

*****Important Author's Note!*****

***** I apologize for the MAJOR shortness of this chapter but I have to be 100% honest. I'm running out of ideas. Soooooo... that's where you guys come in. If you have any and I mean ANY ideas at all for this story I am open to suggestion.**

**THERE IS ONLY ONE RULE:**

**1\. No ridiculous ideas... I want my story to be as believable as possible. I want it to follow the original story line a little bit. I'm not looking for "And Katniss and the family got abducted by aliens. THE END!" Okay? So if you do submit a suggestion please make it believable.**

*****IMPORTANT*** If you do make a suggestion, please also include what you would like for me to do in return! BUT! The only things I am willing to do are:  
1\. FAVORITE one of your stories.**

**2\. FAVORITE you as an author. (Must have at least one (1) story)**

**3\. FOLLOW one of your stories.**

**4\. FOLLOW you as an author. (Must have at least one (1) story)**

**5\. REVIEW one of your stories.**

**I will also give you a SHOUT OUT in the chapter that I use your idea in. **

**I WILL ONLY DO ONE OF THESE PER SUGGESTION THAT I USE AND I WILL ONLY DO IT IF I USE YOUR IDEA. THIS IS ONLY FOR ONE WEEK! SO SEND ME YOUR IDEAS! IF I DO NOT GET ANY OR IF I DO NOT LIKE ANY OF THE IDEAS THAT I RECEIVE I WILL EXTEND IT TO TWO WEEKS!  
**

**Please PM me any questions, if you have any, about the terms.**

**Thank you sooooo much and I hope to continue this story soon.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I'm loving the wonderful reviews that I am getting. Thank you all sooooo much! All of the ideas in your reviews have stuck out to me and as of right now I will be using all of them.**

**Thanks to **Gale Lover** for the idea for this chapter and most likely future chapters. Sadly, you are a Guest user so I can't give you much in return but hopefully this chapter and other chapters after this will be like you pictured them to be. Thank you soooooo much!**

**Remember! Your reviews mean a great deal to me so REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW. And keep the wonderful ideas coming.**

**I have decided that I will not stop the suggestions in one week like I said. I am getting such wonderful ones that I decided that it would be best to continue. And the rules still apply as does what I have agreed to do in return. Thanks!**

**Now on to Chapter 11!**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own The Hunger Games! Although, I wish I did!**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

The journey was long. So freaking long. I thought I would enjoy it. Staying out in the woods twenty-four seven. But after a while, it just gets old.

It's difficult with kids sometimes. There's always one that is complaining; they're cold, they're hungry. I thought it would be easier when we got out here; but it's not. We're still scrambling for food. It seems like that's our biggest problem. With it being the middle of winter, the only thing that we have been able to track down are white rabbits, and sometimes they don't even come out. We had only gotten one deer since we left, and that was over a month ago.

I glance around at my dragging family. We left at sunrise this morning and had been walking since. According to the sun it was almost four in the afternoon. Little Posy had retired onto her oldest brother's shoulders about an hour ago and I could tell that Vick, who was dragging along by his new buddy Haymitch, was most likely next.

I sigh. "Why don't we take a break?"

Everyone sighs and instantly drops their things.

"Finally!" Rory comments. And in reply, Hazelle smacks him on the back of the head. "Don't be rude! You're not the only one that is tired!"

We had all been snappy lately; even Hazelle, who I thought could never snap at anyone, was on edge.

Rory huffs and slumps down on to a blanket beside Prim. Last week was Prim's fifteenth birthday. I had been dreading it. Because now that she is fifteen it's like her eyes have opened and she finally sees the way Rory looks at her. And I had seen that look do many times; I just never knew what it meant until it was staring me right in the face.

"Hey! What's that?" Vick asks, his eyes suddenly wide. He points through the treeline and at first I see nothing but at closer inspection, I could see the outline of a small house.

"Y'all stay here," I say as I grab my bow. I turn to Gale, "Gale?" He nods and trails me at my left flank.

We travel through the snow and eventually get to what we assume used to be the beginning of the house's front yard. The house was truly a house. It wasn't huge but it wasn't small either. It looked like it had been vacant for many, many years.

We stepped on the front step leading to the door and the step creaked loudly, as did every step after that. The front door was hanging slightly ajar, as if someone had left in a hurry and had not intended to come back, and obviously they didn't. Come back, I mean.

Gale breaks the silence. "Stay out here," he says. "I'll check it out then come back to get you."

I agree because if I protest it will only end in a fight. That's how it's been for over a month. We've hardly even spoken to each other except when hunting or scoping out a new place like this.

Gale comes back a few minutes later after looking around. "C'mon," he says.

When I step in I find that the house is surprisingly warm inside. The house is a mess which only confirms my suspicion that someone was leaving in a hurry. In the living room books littered the floor, the couch, and the coffee table, in the kitchen shattered plates and bowls lied on the floor and table, and in the three tiny bedrooms clothes, clothes everywhere. There was an old, tattered suitcase on the bed in one of the bedrooms, only half full.

"These people weren't running," I say. "They were dragged out of here."

"If it was the Capitol, I'm surprised they didn't torch the place," Gale replied.

"We need to talk to our fathers, but I think that we should stay here for a few days," I say. "Just to replenish our health a little, you know, catch up on sleep, get warm. I think I saw a fireplace in the living room," I suggest.

"That's a good idea," he replies then leaves the room. I follow him and we are soon out the door of the house and back to our camp.

We were only gone a few minutes and we come back to see our fathers attempting to make a fire and our mothers and Haymitch trying to keep the kids warm.

"Don't bother," Gale says to our fathers. "The house isn't in too bad of a shape. It needs a little cleaning up though, but it shouldn't take to long. Katniss and I think that we should all stay there for a few days."

"There's a fireplace in there, too," I add. "And some clothes a few of us may be able to fit in. And books," I say turning to Vick.

"Yes! Let's stay!" he replies excitedly.

"Okay," our parents reply. "Just a few nights."

We spent the next two hours cleaning up the house and not long after, the sun set. The only light that we had was of the fire that raged on in the fireplace.

* * *

There were only three bedrooms with only three beds. We had decided that Vick and Rory would share a bed, Hazelle and John would share, and my mother and father would share. Prim, Posy, Gale, and I would work out the sleeping situation in the living room.

And that's how I spent an awkward night sleeping on a pallet in the floor with Gale while Posy and Prim slept on the couch.

"I want to sleep on the couch!" Posy exclaimed.

"But I want to sleep on the couch!" Prim complained louder.

"No!" Posy protested. "My couch!"

"How about you-" I begin. But I'm ignored.

"You don't own everything, Posy," Prim pouts.

"Okay, okay! That's enough, you two," Gale breaks in and they both grow silent. "You will both sleep on the couch."

"But Bubba!" Posy protests.

"No 'but's Pos," he rejects. "Both of you sleep on the couch."

They sigh in defeat. "Okay," they say in unison. It is not five minutes later when we find them both sound asleep on the couch with their arms wound around each other.

* * *

There is not much floor space in the living room, but somehow Gale and I make it work. Kind of. We are squished together between the coffee table and the couch and the only way we can fit is if I'm laying on my side with my head on his chest. And it's uncomfortable. Not in the way that I can't get comfortable, because it was really comfortable, but in the way that it's been between me and Gale for the past month. We can hardly stand to be around each other, so him having his arms around me was slightly difficult.

It came to the point where we couldn't take it anymore and he ended up getting up and taking the coffee table to the kitchen so we would have more room. He slept three feet away from me and I had never been so cold in my life.

* * *

**Review! There will be more family time in the next few chapters!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hey guys! Keep the good reviews coming. I will be using them all as of right now. But it may be a while before I use yours. But don't worry I will return your favors as soon as I use your idea. Thanks soooooo much! This chapter will again be using the ideas of the guest user, _Gale Lover._ Now to chapter 12!**

* * *

Chapter 12

The days at the cabin were bliss for the family. It was like our own safe haven. Everyone loved it there. But me. The days that we spent there opened my eyes to things that I didn't want to see, or better yet feel.

The next day after we arrived, Gale and Prim had left early to look for herbs for my mother. Gale's excuse when I asked why he didn't wake me? "You looked like you were sleeping so peacefully. It was kinda cute." He earned two slugs in the shoulder. One for calling me cute and the other for taking my little sister out in the woods with just the two of them. Turns out, a few minutes after they entered the woods, Prim fell and cut her knee open. After I found that out, Gale got another slug. In the head.

"Oh, come on, Katniss," Prim had complained hours later. We were in the bathroom changing our clothes for bed. "It isn't that bad of a cut. And I had bandages with me. Gale was very careful with me and cleaned it up like the good big brother he is."

I frowned. "He's not your brother," I say, looking at her through the mirror.

"He might as well be," she retorts. "He acts like a brother."

I sigh. As she exits she mutters, "And I actually thought he would be my brother one day." I see her glance back at me out of the corner of my eye but I don't respond.

* * *

Gale, John, dad, and I walk through the trees after a long day of hunting. When we break through the treeline to the cabin we find Posy with her back to the side of the house. She's peeking around the corner so she doesn't see us approach.

"Hey, Posy!" Gale says. "What are you doin'?"

She turns her head and her eyes grow wide. "Shh!" she exclaims quietly while placing one finger to her lips. But it's too late.

It isn't but a moment later we see Vick rounding the corner. "Aha! Found you!" Posy takes off running but doesn't make it far before Vick catches up and tags her on the back.

"Tag! You're it!" he exclaims.

"Aww! Shoot!" she huffs and places her hands on her hips, turning towards us. "Thanks a lot Gale Gales. He got me! You got me caught! That means you have to play with us now."

"Okay," he says happily and hands me his game bag.

"You want to play, Catnip?" he asks.

"No, I'm good," I reply.

Gale walks over to Posy and she takes his hand. As they are walking away I hear her explaining and pointing to the big tree that Prim, Rory, and Vick are sitting at. She says that it's the "Safe Zone".

A few minutes later I am in the kitchen with my mother and Hazelle stripping the meat when suddenly I hear a loud squeal. I look out the window, expecting it to be Posy but soon find out that it is far from it when I see the large figure run in front of the window to the big tree with little Posy trailing behind with her arm out. Gale slows down a bit but continues his squealing. Posy tags him on the back and starts jumping up and down. "I got him! I got him!" She turns to the window. "Did you see Kat Kat? I got him!"

"I saw!" I exclaim with the biggest smile on my face. Possibly even the first smile I have given since getting here.

"Oh man!" Gale frowns and stamps his feet and throws his hands to his sides just like his little sister did when she had gotten tagged earlier. It's then that I realize how much Gale and Posy resemble. Their facial expressions are almost identical and it's hard not to find them adorable.

* * *

All eleven of us are sitting around the fire a couple hours later enjoying our dinner, when suddenly Posy says something that appalls me.

"I like it here," she says. "Can we stay here forever?" she's looking at her parents with innocent eyes. She doesn't know the pressure that she is putting on us.

But soon Vick jumps in. "Yeah, I like it here!"

"Me too!" Rory adds.

The room is silent for several minutes before Gale attempts to answer. But I stop him with the shake of my head. To the other's it may look as if I'm telling him "No, we can't stay here." But being hunting partners and best friends for so long he and I both know I'm telling him "You don't need to answer. Let someone else."

And someone does. John steps up and says hesitantly, "I'm sorry guys. But we can't stay here. There's something in District Thirteen. We don't know what but there is. But I promise, if we go there and there is something bad there that we do not want to be apart of, we will come right back here and we will have a life here. I promise."

Both sets of parents share looks with each other. They all want what's best for us. And right now, the best is District Thirteen.

* * *

Gale and I are laying on pallets in the floor in front of the fire. Are backs are to each other. Posy and Prim's snores are the only things that are breaking the silence until Gale turns to his back and begins whispering to me.

"Why did you stop me from answering them earlier?" he asks.

"Because it was about time that someone else stood up." I answer.

"What do mean?"

I turn to my other side and place my elbow to the floor and my head to my hand. "I mean," I whisper. "That it's time for you to stop acting like a father."

"What are you talking about?" he exclaims.

"Shh! You'll wake them!" I exclaim quietly.

"What do you mean I need to stop acting like a father? I've never acted like a father."

"Yes you have, Gale. When your dad was taken you had to step up as the man of the house. And that included getting all the food, breaking up fights, and, like you have been doing, making the huge decisions that effect all of us. I understand why you keep doing it. It's because you are used to it. But Gale your dad has been back for almost three years. It's time for you to step down and just be a brother."

"I have been a brother. I played hide and seek with the kids today," he retorts.

"Yes, you did. And then you tried to tell the kids that we couldn't stay here. That needs to be your father's job, not yours. Some of the weight needs to be lifted off of your shoulders, Gale. Give the father responsibility back to your father and just focus on being the loving big brother. Not the loving big brother _and _the stern father."

* * *

**A/N: Review and tell me what you think! And keep the ideas coming! Thanks!**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

We left four days later. Of course the kids didn't want to leave, but they understood that this was what was best for the family. I don't think anyone wanted to leave actually, and honestly, I was going to miss the little cabin as well. But we had to move on.

According to our calculations from the map we only had a few days left of walking before we reached the edge of District Thirteen.

I was scared at what we would find there. Many questions ran through my mind.

_Is it really the safe haven that Haymitch had promised?_

_Or would we just find rubble?_

_Complete ash like the Capitol tells us?_

My main concern, though, was what would happen if it wasn't a "safe haven"? What if, even if something is there, they don't accept us? If they consider us a threat? My family would most likely die. Then all of this would be for nothing. _No, _I tell myself. _Not nothing. We tried._

Haymitch suddenly breaks through my concentration.

"What's going through your mind, sweetheart?" he whispers.

I glance at him then back in front of me then to the sky. The sun is directly above me. Noon. I sigh.

"Are you sure about this?" I ask.

He snorts. "A little late to be asking that, don't ya think? We're all ready out here and I ain't going back."

"No, that's not what I meant. Are you sure that District Thirteen is still there? Are you one hundred percent positive? Because, honestly? If we show up to where District Thirteen is supposed to be and it's not there, I'm going to be more than pissed that I agreed to your plan to go there."

"Hey," he retorts. "It was your idea in the first place."

"But it was your idea to go to District Thirteen," I continue. "You put the thought in my head. Now, tell me! Are. You. Sure?"

"I'm positive," he answers. "You'll know soon. District Thirteen exists."

* * *

And he was right, I did know soon.

We reached the outer edge of District Thirteen seven days after we left the cabin. And at first, like I promised, I was utterly pissed. More than pissed actually, because all you could see for miles was rubble and dirt and ash. I could have killed Haymitch. I almost did.

When we reached the edge and that's all I saw I attacked Haymitch. It took three large men in grey suits to get me off of him.

When the men separated us, I turned and found my entire family lined up side by side. There were four other men with them. And they were taking our bows.

"Hey!" I exclaimed. "What do you think you're doing?" I begin running for them but don't make it far before one of the three men grab me and hold my arms to my back.

"Hey now," he says as I continue to struggle against his strong grip. But I know it's no use.

I still and then see Haymitch finally stand from the ground.

"Everything's all right, sweetheart," he says, his voice scratchy from where my hands were around his neck.

The men standing next to him are looking at us then recognition dawns on their faces.

"It's the Mockingjay," one of them says.

The men near my family all stiffen when they hear the man's voice.

Suddenly a man appears from no where. He's dressed in the same grey attire as the other seven men but just by his stature you can tell of his authority.

"Hello, Haymitch," he says as he approaches. Haymitch reaches out and grabs the man's hand.

"Good to see you again, Plutarch," he replies.

Plutarch looks over at me. "Katniss Everdeen," he says with a smile. "We've been waiting for you."

* * *

The entrance to District Thirteen is hidden underground. That's why it looked as if Plutarch had appeared out of thin air. We entered the District through the Hangar. Plutarch said it was the safest place for me to walk through right now. Apparently no one needed to know that "The Mockingjay" had made it to District Thirteen.

I don't know why they kept calling me that. They wouldn't explain anything to me or my family. Haymitch, Plutarch, and the "grey men" as I had come to call them, seemed like the only people that knew what was going on.

We entered a room full of large screens and thousands of buttons. I don't know how else to explain it. The room was huge. The walls were grey and there was a large grey table sitting in the center with even darker a grey chairs surrounding it.

"Welcome to Command," Plutarch says as we enter. I step to the side so my entire family can enter and when they all have Plutarch ushers us each to a seat around the large table. It's then that I notice a woman sitting at the table, alone.

I turn to Haymitch. As much as I hate to admit it, he's the only one I trust that actually knows what the hell is going on. "What is this? What's happening?"

"Settle down sweetheart. Everything's fine," he replies.

"Fine? How can everything be fine?" I exclaim.

"Katniss," the woman speaks. "Please calm down."

The woman is kind of short but it's hard to tell because she is sitting. Her hair is more grey than the walls and the chairs that we occupy. She is dressed in the same grey suit that the men and Plutarch are wearing. Well I guess I can't call them the "grey men" anymore.

"Calm down!" I exclaim again. "Who the hell are you anyway?"

"My name is Alma Coin," she replies calmly. "I'm the president of District Thirteen."

She stands suddenly and looks at all of our faces very carefully. She stops at Gale and stares.

"I like that," she begins. "You four." She points to Gale, my father, John, and myself.

"I'm glad the fire runs in the family," she says returning her eyes to me. "You all have the will to fight. I can see it in your eyes."

Plutarch stands. "We will need you, soldiers. This is the revolution. And Katniss?" he grins.

"You are our Mockingjay."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks and review!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Hey guys! In this chapter you will be introduced to a new character. Her name is Paige and I hope you like her! This chapter will bring in the idea of _anonymous'writer13_. So check out her stories as well. She is a very talented writer! Thank you for this idea _anonymous'writer13_ and your idea will be inferred in other chapters as well. Not so much this chapter because we are just getting to know her but I hope that this new character lives up to your expectations!**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own The Hunger Games or any recognizable characters.**

Chapter 14

I didn't agree to be their Mockingjay. I didn't even know what that meant; what they wanted me to do.

They placed the entire family in one room. Except for Haymitch who got his own room. They said it was better to place my family and the Hawthorne's in an "apartment" with five beds rather that make us all split in to five separate rooms.

Once we were settled Gale, our father's, and I showered first then went back to command while the others rested. We wanted answers.

"Ah!" President Coin says when we walk in. "They're back." She glances over at Plutarch and then to a young woman who wasn't in Command before.

She was very pretty; maybe eighteen or nineteen. She had long brown hair, almost blonde, and bright blue eyes.

"Katniss, John, Jacob," the President pauses then glances to the man standing to my side. "Gale. This," she pauses again and walks over to the woman and the woman stands. Coin takes her hand. "This is my beautiful granddaughter, Paige."

"It's a pleasure to meet to you, Katniss," Paige says. "I heard so much about you. They've all been so worried. Hoping that you would make it here alive."

"Nice to know you had faith in me," I mutter to no in particular.

"It's not that we didn't have faith in you, Katniss," Coin retorts. "It's just that we heard about the explosion at your cousins house-"

"We're not cousins," Gale and I break in simultaneously.

"Cousins. Lovers. It doesn't matter. The point is-"

"And we aren't lovers!" I exclaim.

Coin sighs.

"The point is," Paige says. "We heard about the explosion and we didn't know if you were in that house or not. If it was an accident, if it was suicide, murder, or just a ploy. We were worried. We need you, Katniss. We believe that you are the only one that can start something and end it all at the same time."

"And what do you mean by that?" Gale asks.

"We mean," Plutarch steps in. "That we believe that Katniss can be the beginning and end. The beginning of the revolution that will end everything."

"Everything?" John asks.

"Yes, everything. Mainly The Hunger Games, but also the starvation, and the abuse, and President Snow," Plutarch's voice lowered with each idea.

I grin but it doesn't stay there long. I glance at Gale, who isn't looking at me but he is shaking his head. I look at my dad he is grinning down at me and when he catches my gaze he shrugs. John has the same reaction as Gale.

"I'll do it," I say. "But I have some conditions."

* * *

"_Are you, are you_  
_Coming to the tree_  
_They strung up a man_  
_They say who murdered three._  
_Strange things did happen here_  
_No stranger would it be_  
_If we met at midnight_  
_In the hanging tree._

_Are you, are you_  
_Coming to the tree_  
_Where dead man called out_  
_For his love to flee._  
_Strange things did happen here_  
_No stranger would it be_  
_If we met at midnight_  
_In the hanging tree._

_Are you, are you_  
_Coming to the tree_  
_Where I told you to run,_  
_So we'd both be free._  
_Strange things did happen here_  
_No stranger would it be_  
_If we met at midnight_  
_In the hanging tree._

_Are you, are you_  
_Coming to the tree_  
_Wear a necklace of rope,_  
_Side by side with me._  
_Strange things did happen here_  
_No stranger would it be_  
_If we met at midnight_  
_In the hanging tree._"

The Mockingjays picked up on the simple rhythm as my father and I sang. My sister and I used to get in trouble with mother for singing the song around the house. She eventually banned the song to be sung at all anywhere when she found us making our own necklaces of rope. Of course at the time we didn't know what the lyrics actually meant. We just found the rhythm simple and odd and intoxicating and even after my mother banned it from the house I still found myself humming the rhythm.

Right then, outside of District Thirteen, was the first time I had sang the song in ten years. The song seemed to strike Gale as well for when we finished he had a puzzled look on his face.

"Are you okay?" I ask him.

"Yeah, it's just," he begins then he sighs.

"Son?" John asks.

He looks at his father. "It's just sometimes, sometimes I feel like the man in The Hanging Tree," he then turns to me. "Always waiting. Always waiting for an answer."

He drops his head to the ground then walks by us without another word. I sigh.

"Do you know what he meant by that?" John asks me.

"Yeah," I say as I stare off in the direction that he disappeared.

"I'm glad you finally understand," he replies.

"I do," I say as I turn toward him. "And I'm the one that told him to move on."

"And do you regret that?" my father asks.

I sigh, "I don't know. Maybe. He's been hurting ever since."

* * *

"Ms. Everdeen!" the President exclaims. "Mr. Everdeen and Mr. Hawthorne's!"

I snort at how she combined Gale and John.

"Oh don't you start that! Must I remind you that your hunting is a privilege? You all are twenty minutes late! Now your schedules will have to be redone!"

"My God! Would you give it a rest, woman?" Plutarch says as he enters the room. He then whispers in the President's ear but is not subtle about it, or quiet for that matter.

"We have to keep her happy. We need a Mockingjay! She's irreplaceable. If she bows out now, no one can take her place."

Hunting was one of my conditions. I can't handle being underground for so long so they put hunting as our training. Every morning you get a specified schedule scanned on your arm. You have to follow that schedule. It's very annoying and Coin throws a fit if even one person does not follow their schedule. I don't see why it's so important that we were twenty minutes late. I don't think she understands that we were tracking deer that could feed many people. Especially with the way Greasy Sae makes it.

But the most important condition of all: I KILL SNOW!

* * *

**A/N: _The Hanging Tree: _Credit goes to the writers!**

**Thanks. Review. Sorry I know there wasn't much of Paige in this chapter but I will add more of her in the next few chapters.**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it's been a while. It's just getting harder and harder to update regularly. Especially with finals coming up soon. Next week actually and I really should be studying but I'm here! Because I want to make you all happy! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It's going to have a lot more of Paige in it and may include a few time skips. Not big time skips just a few days and sometimes weeks like in the very beginning. The very beginning is about three weeks after Katniss and her family arrive in District Thirteen. Thanks again for all of the lovely reviews and keep reviewing!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games although I do wish I did.**

* * *

Chapter 15

_"But I thought this is what you wanted, Katniss. This is what you told him that you wanted. For him to move on," Prim says._

_"I know!" I exclaim. "But- but it wasn't supposed to feel this way! I shouldn't hate her because she's always around, or that he spends all his time with her. That's exactly what I told him to do."  
_

_"Exactly?" Prim asks, glaring at me slightly._

_"Well, I told him when we got to District Thirteen that he needed to find a girl. Someone good for him, unlike me-"_

_"Katniss, you are perfect for him!" Prim interrupts._

_"No! I'm not, Prim. And the sooner he realizes that the better," I retort._

_"You're jealous, Katniss. That's all it is. I think you need to talk to him. Tell him the way you feel about her. How you just don't think she's right for him. He'll understand, Katniss, I promise! He'll take you in a heartbeat._

_"I don't know," I whisper. "I thought this is what I wanted."_

_"And what are you thinking now?" Prim whisper back._

_I glance at her. Oh, how grown up she is becoming. But will she understand? Will she understand the concept of possible love?_

_I swallow then whisper to her, "I think I'm falling in love with him."_

* * *

**The morning before!**

**Three weeks after arrival!**

The seal of Panem popped up on the screen two minutes after Gale, our fathers, and I arrived in Command. The anthem began to play soon after. When the anthem was done playing the seal disappeared and President Snow's face popped up on the giant screen.

"Hello, Panem-" President Snow's voice was soon drowned out by a loud scream.

"Wait! Don't start without me!" Paige Coin came running into the room flaring her arms about. "I'm here! Don't start yet!"

"Shhh!" I exclaim. "It's already started we can't stop it."

"Oh!" she whispers while placing her hand to her mouth. "Sorry!" she whispers around them. She walks to the only empty seat, which is beside Gale, and I roll my eyes as she leans down and places a chaste kiss on the corner of his mouth. He smiles at her and takes her hand as she sits down. That's when I turn away. I can't watch the train wreck that will eventually happen with them two.

It's difficult to ignore the stabbing pain that runs through my chest when I see them together. They've only known each other for hardly three weeks and act like they've been married for twenty years. I don't wan't to understand the pain that makes its way through me when I see them. I'm scared of what the answer will be if I ask myself or anyone else about it.

"-although the disappearances and deaths of four wonderful victors is very tragic, we still believe it is necessary to continue the reaping of The Hunger Games," President Snow continues. "The games have been held off for a few months now because of the deaths and disappearances but as we all know, life must go on. The reaping for the 77th Hunger Games will be exactly one week from today. May the odds be ever in your favor!" The screen goes black.

"He's going to continue life as if we never existed?" I ask.

"Yes," Coin answers. "You never mattered to him. He just wants more people to die."

* * *

That night I couldn't sleep. The Games and Gale and Paige and Prim and Rory. I kept tossing and turning in the bed that I shared with Prim. There were five beds in the "apartment" that the manager of housing put us all in. That meant two people to a bed. Me and Prim, mom and dad, Hazelle and John, Rory and Vick, and poor Gale had to bunk with Posy.

I flipped over for maybe the thousandth time and then I heard Prim sigh. "Katniss?"

"Yes, little duck?" I whisper.

"Are you okay?" she whispers back.

"Yeah. Go back to sleep, Primmy."

She sat up in the tiny twin bed that we shared. "You're not okay," she retorts.

I shake my head as I sit up beside her.

"Is it Gale?" she asks. It's crazy how she knew me so well.

"Partially," I reply. "The Games are bothering me, too."

She nods. "I can understand why it's bothering you. Who do you think is going to mentor the tributes that are picked from twelve?"

"Haymitch says that they will assign them one from the Capitol since apparently there are no more living victors. They've had to do that for District Eleven before, remember?"

"Oh yeah," she says.

"I'm just worried for all the people we left behind. If the Capitol knows that we left and aren't really dead, they will definitely send in one of our friends into the arena. That's what is scaring me the most."

"Okay, well I can tell this is really upsetting you so let's go to something a little happier," she smiles. "Gale?"

"That's hardly happier," I reply.

"What do you mean?" she asks, her eyebrows scrunched together.

I sigh and glance over at his sleeping figure across the room. For a while his snores are the only thing that breaks the silence.

"I don't know. He's just been spending a lot of time with Paige lately. We've hardly spoken to each other," I reply minutes later.

Prim grins at me, "So your jealous!"

"I'm not jealous!" I reply a little too defensively. "I just want to spend a little more time with him like I used to; that's all."

"You guys don't go hunting together?" she asks.

"We've been three times and John and dad were with us," I reply. "It's just I wish he wasn't spending so much time with her."

"But I thought this is what you wanted, Katniss. This is what you told him that you wanted. For him to move on," Prim says.

"I know!" I exclaim. "But- but it wasn't supposed to feel this way! I shouldn't hate her because she's always around, or that he spends all his time with her. That's exactly what I told him to do."

"Exactly?" Prim asks, glaring at me slightly.

"Well, I told him when we got to District Thirteen that he needed to find a girl. Someone good for him, unlike me-"

"Katniss, you are perfect for him!" Prim interrupts.

"No! I'm not, Prim. And the sooner he realizes that the better," I retort.

"You're jealous, Katniss. That's all it is. I think you need to talk to him. Tell him the way you feel about her. How you just don't think she's right for him. He'll understand, Katniss, I promise! He'll take you in a heartbeat.

"I don't know," I whisper. "I thought this is what I wanted."

"And what are you thinking now?" Prim whispers back.

I glance at her. Oh, how grown up she is becoming. But will she understand? Will she understand the concept of possible love?

I swallow then whisper to her, "I think I'm falling in love with him."

* * *

Gale and I had training at the same time the next day. We had it early in the morning so our families were still getting ready for their day when we left. Dad and John had been sent to their own training where they would be taught how to shoot guns just in case they actually had to go out into combat.

The official war hadn't started yet. Coin believed that The Capitol had no idea that District Thirteen was even still running. That gave us an edge for when we decided to finally attack and when we did we would be sent out into a full blown war. The only thing is, District Thirteen was prepared. We had the weapons and we had an edge. We would start this war. The Capitol did have weapons but they had no idea what was waiting for them and even if they did, they had no idea when.

I waited for five minutes while Gale was getting his gray suit on behind our makeshift changing room that we had made by hanging an extra blanket up. The actual bathrooms were separate from the compartments and Gale thought it useless for us to walk all the way across District Thirteen just to change clothes.

Five minutes wasn't much to wait. I didn't mind. But what pissed me off more than anything was when Paige showed up right before we were supposed to leave.

I opened the door to a fist that I knew was just about to knock on the previously closed door.

"Oh! Hello, Katniss!" She smiled giddily. "Is Gale here?"

I frown as Gale peeks around me and out the door. He smiles, "Come on in."

She brushes by me and I briefly hear an "Uh Oh!" from Prim when she sees who has entered.

"Hello, Hazelle!" Paige says excitedly.

Hazelle gives her a fake, half smile that makes me feel good. So she's not that warm with Paige either. "Hello!" Hazelle replies.

"Well, we were just about to leave to go hunting so-" I grab Gale's arm to lead him out the door but he yanks it back.

"Come on, Catnip. We can wait a few more minutes. She just got here," Gale says.

"We're wasting precious hunting time, Gale," I complain. "We only have two hours."

"Well today we'll have one hour and forty-five minutes," he replies while taking Paige's hand.

I glance down at the intertwined fingers then back up to his face. "No," I retort. "_You_ will have one hour and forty-five minutes. I want my whole two hours." And I stomped out of the room and soon found myself at the edge of the District Thirteen woods.

I don't know why but there were tears running down my face the whole way there. It hurt so bad. Why did it hurt so bad?

Fortunately, I dried up my tears before Gale found me, just as he had said, fifteen minutes later.

"I love you," he says. "I hope you know that."

"Well-" I sigh. "You sure don't act like it." I face him and look into his eyes. "You've hardly spoken to me in a month."

"I know," he replies as he sits next to me. We are sitting on a rock facing a beautiful river that we found the first time we were out here. I lean into him a little and he wraps his arm around my waist.

"It's just-" he begins. "It's just-" he sighs. "Paige."

And that's all he has to say. I know what he means. He means she's like a drug. Addicting. Like the Morphine they gave me right after I came out of the Games.

"Gosh!" I moan. "Why is this so difficult?"

"What?" he asks.

"I hate her!" I exclaim. "I hate her with the most fiery passion that I have ever had. Except for President Snow."

"Why do you hate her, Katniss?" he shakes his head.

"Because she has you!" I scream. And then I realize what I've said and I know I can't take it back. I shake my head back and forth quickly then place it into my hands. There are tears streaming down my face now.

"God! What is wrong with me? I've never acted like this before," I say mostly to my self.

Gale sighs and takes my hands from my face firmly grasping them in his.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" he asks. I can only nod.

We sit there in silence for a while then I reply, "Hurts like a bitch."

And then his lips are on mine. But it doesn't last long. I push him away while shaking my head again.

"Don't!" I exclaim. "Don't do this to me. Don't do this to Paige. She really likes you."

"But Katniss-" he sighs. "This-" he points between us. "This between you and me, it's love. I don't love her. I love you."

"Then learn to love her," I reply.

"But Katniss-"

"No!" I interrupt. "This is for the greater good. We don't need to be together right now. There's a war raging, Gale. And they want me to be the main part of it. I know that if we are together during this war then they will want us both in the middle and I can't have that. Two fires starting a war? Two fires just creates a bigger fire. It will obliterate Panem. And obliterate us in the process."

"I don't get that logic," he sighs.

"You don't have to," I reply. "I was going to be with you if you gave me the chance. But I changed my mind at the last second. It's better this way. It's better if only I understand the logic behind my reasoning."

* * *

**A/N: Woah! Pretty long chapter! I was just typing away and before I realized it, it was already over 2,000 words! Woohoo! Hope you liked it!**

**Gahhh! Isn't Katniss' logic sooooooo stupid. Ahhhh! When is she gonna see sense?!  
**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Please read the important Author's Note at the end!**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own The Hunger Games!**

* * *

Chapter 16

"You told him what?" Prim yells at me when I return from hunting. Gale was called immediately to Command for some unknown reason.

As soon as I entered our compartment, I told Prim exactly what I told Gale.

I sigh.

"So you basically told him that you didn't love him!" she exclaims.

"Pretty much," I mutter.

"Ahhh! Come on Katniss, last night you said-"

"Girls!" my mother exclaims from behind us. We turn to find our mother and Hazelle. "What's going on?"

I sigh again and shake my head.

"Katniss is being stupid, is what's going on!" Prim answers.

"Primrose!" my mother scolds. "Do not talk of your sister that way!"

Prim grumbles then walks away.

"What's going on with her?" I ask worriedly. "She's hardly ever yelled at anyone before."

I sit on one of the beds, Hazelle sits next to me, and mother mother brings a chair in from the makeshift living room that we have in the compartment.

"She has become a woman," my mother states.

"Isn't it a little late?" I ask.

"Well," Hazelle begins. "Our eating patterns aren't exactly correct, so our bodies don't function as normally as they are supposed to."

I nod understandingly.

"And you have to remember Katniss, you didn't start until you were fourteen," my mother continues. "And I know she is fifteen but I also know she will be just fine. Her body is just trying separate all of the hormones that are rushing through her body all at once. She'll get used to it and learn to control it."

"What I'm concerned about, though," Hazelle says with a start. "Is what set her off like that in the first place?" she gives me a look. "Him? Who exactly is "him"? And what exactly did you say to him that set Prim off?"

I groan and fall backwards on the bed with my head in my hands. I sigh. "Gale."

"What about him?" one of them asks, I don't know who because my ears are slightly muffled from the blankets that surround my head.

I lean back up and sigh once again. "I don't know. I'm just confused." I start to stand from the bed. "Look I really don't want to talk about this so-"

"Sit!" Hazelle says and pushes me back to the bed. I huff.

"Do you want some advice?" she asks.

"Well that's what I went to Prim for. Then I realized that she's a hardly fifteen year old girl who is just now figuring out what the opposite sex is," I answer.

"And when did you first realize that your best friend was of the opposite sex?" my mother asks.

"I don't know," I sigh. "I guess it was the night that we left. He told me to take you guys to the woods and if he hadn't met up with us in a certain amount of time to leave him. Then- then he kissed me and told me that he was in love with me. We've hardly spoken to each other since."

We are silent for a few moments.

"And Paige is really not helping." I add. "Why does it hurt so bad?" I ask to no one in particular.

"Because you're in love with him, too," Hazelle states gently.

"No!" I deny but my voice cracks and they know I'm lying.

"You told me last night that you thought you were falling in love with him," Prim says, appearing at the doorway.

And that's when the tears begin to roll down my face.

* * *

**One week later.**

"And now!" Effie Trinket said into the microphone. She looked just as made up on the television as she did in real life.

"It is time to choose one male and female for the honor of representing District Twelve in the 77th annual Hunger Games. Ladies first!"

Even on the television you could hear her six-inched high heel shoe hit the ground. It was nerve wracking. Like I was there. And I had an idea of who's name would be called. I held my breath.

"Delaney Cartwright!" Effie exclaimed and all of the air left my lungs. I heard fists hit the table and instantly know that they are Gale's. Gale and Delly dated for a long time. If I'm thinking correctly, they broke up around the time that Gale said that he fell in love with me. They had been together for over a year.

President Snow knew that this would get to both me and Gale. He knows we are alive.

The announcement of Thom Garret sent Gale into a full tail spin. Thom was his best friend. He had known him since year one in school and then went to work in the mines with him as well.

"Fuck!" he shouted.

"Gale!" I retorted as he stood from the table.

"No, Katniss. Don't you "Gale" me. That's my best friend going in there."

"You think I don't know that?" I reply gently.

"We have a plan," the president interrupts.

We turn to her, remembering that we have an audience. "Plan?" Gale asks.

"We believe that breaking some of the tributes from the arena will set the beginning of the war that we are trying to create," Plutarch answers.

"We have been working on this plan for months," Coin continues. "Long before you all showed up and long before you were even entered into the Games, Katniss."

"How will breaking the tributes from the arena start a war?" John asks.

"Again, we believe that breaking into the Capitol's system will enrage the Capitol and Snow," Coin says.

"And how exactly are you going to break into the system?" Gale presses.

"Beetee Latier," she says as if that name is supposed to answer everything. And turns out it does.

Beetee Latier was an inventor that lived in District Three. He won the Games at the age of seventeen. He is supposedly one of the smartest people in all of Panem. To win his Games he created a wire and electrocuted the rest of the tributes. Coin believed that Beetee could hack into the Capitol's system and distract them while someone went into the arena and captured as many tributes as possible.

Coin said that the Capitol would know that it was District Thirteen. She said that they knew that we existed but had never done anything about it. The Capitol believed that we were weak; that we had no weapons to fight against them. Oh, how they were wrong.

* * *

Beetee showed up in District Thirteen three days later and he immediately began his work. He had been planning the break-in from his home in District Three but he finally got to put it to the test when he arrived. We broke into a Capitol commercial for about three seconds and then let them have control back. If we had kept control for any longer than that the Capitol would know that something was going to happen.

When we broke in we just showed a black screen. Hopefully, the Capitol would just think of it as a glitch. And they did! They continued their programming as if nothing had happened.

Beetee believed that he could hold the control over the Capitol for at least fifteen minutes but that it would be very difficult. We would wait until the tributes entered the arena before doing another attempt on breaking in.

Haymitch gave Gale and me hope when he told us that one of our spies, that was in the Capitol, was going to be the mentor for Delly and Thom. That meant that their mentor was on our side and that Delly and Thom were more likely to survive the arena until we rescued them. We hoped that the spy, Commander Reed, could convince Thom and Delly to stay away from the Cornucopia in the beginning and to stay together. It would be easier to rescue them both if they were together and the outcome if we did not rescue them both was unimaginable.

* * *

***Important!***

**I am hoping to finish this story up in just a few more chapters. I really do not want an abrupt ending so I am trying not to do that but if it does have one I am very sorry. I promise I will finish this story but it will probably be in three or four more chapters, maybe more depending on what all I want to put in it. Honestly, I'm getting kind of bored with this plot and am again starting to run out of ideas. I will finish this story soon!**

**GUESS WHAT!**

**I have an idea for a new story. This idea will be completely UNRELATED to this story. It will have a completely different plot. I will be posting the first chapter soon but that is all I will be posting until I finish this story so you can just get a little taste of what is to come.**

**Thanks! Review and tell me what you think about this last chapter and what you think of the first chapter of the new story.**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Hey guys. Just wanted to let y'all know that I posted the first chapter of my second fanfic. It's called _Convenience. _Check it out!**

**So I just realized that this kinda doesn't make sense considering Delly and Thom are not at reaping age but I'm not going to make a big deal out of it. Hopefully it doesn't bother you all. Maybe some of you didn't even notice but if you did I apologize.**

**Some of the actions that the characters go through in this chapter are pretty much the same as what happened in the book and movies but under different circumstances. So the ideas go to Suzanne Collins.**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own The Hunger Games!**

* * *

Chapter 17

So it turns out that Delly and Thom were together. And I don't mean just allies going into the Hunger Games together. I mean Delly pregnant with Thom's child together. That made matters even worse. It would be even more difficult to rescue, what we now realized, all _three _of them.

Of course Gale wasn't the least bit happy about the new arrangement. Sometimes I got the feeling that he still loved Delly but then other times I would just brush it off. It shouldn't bother me anyway. What did bother me was catching Paige and Gale in his bed two days after the announcement of Delly's pregnancy at the interviews. It was just me that saw them. I don't even know if they know that I saw them.

But I did.

And the excruciating internal pain that followed was almost unbearable. All I saw was his bare back but I knew who was underneath him. Who else could it be? A million little pins of terrible pain stabbed my heart as I closed the door to my compartment. Our compartment. The compartment that we shared with both of our families. He had to have known that one of us was bound to walk in on him. Why did it have to be me? But I would have died if it were anyone else.

* * *

It was early the next day when the alarms went off. At first my brain couldn't comprehend the sound but soon figured out that it was the evacuation alarm. The alarm that is supposed to tell us to proceed even further underground immediately. I jumped as I heard my name, "Katniss!" That's Prim.

"Katniss, get up honey, we have to go," my mother yells.

"Katniss, sweetheart, please get up!" Hazelle.

My eyes jerk open and I quickly rise from my bed. I glance around and see that everyone is ready to walk out the door. I grab Prim's hand and follow Gale out the door who is leading the way.

We quickly run through the center of the compartments and through the doors that lead to the metal stairs that will take us to the even darker hollows of District Thirteen. We begin descending the stairs but soon find it difficult to stay together for there are hundreds of people on them. Prim and I soon find ourselves separated from our family and it isn't long before Prim and I too are separated.

And that's when my real panic begins. "Prim!" I yell as soon as her hand is retched from mine. But it's too late. She's out of my sight and I can only hope that she will get through the doors before they close.

My panic has caused me to lose focus of the task at hand. I feel hands shove me roughly in the back and before I know it my head is plowing into the metal of the stairs.

And everything goes black.

* * *

"Katniss?" a blurred face appears in front of me.

"Katniss, can you hear me?" the voice is even more muffled as I try to make out the words that are being said.

"Come on, Katniss."

Prim?

"Katniss!" my mother's exclamation finally jolts me from my unconsciousness.

"Prim?" I ask.

"Oh, thank goodness, Katniss. You scared me to death," she replies as she jumps from her chair beside my bed. She wraps her arms around my neck and that's when the pain shoots up my spine. I hiss.

"Oh my, gosh. Sorry! I forgot," she says.

"What happened?" I ask hoarsely.

"We're guessing you fell on the stairs on your way down to The Underground," my mother says. "When everyone was there and you weren't, Gale started freaking out. He went back up the stairs and found you all by yourself, unconscious."

"He was so scared," Prim adds. "We all were."

"So why did the alarms go off?" I ask.

"It was just a drill," Prim answers. "President Coin found it necessary considering people are on their way now to start a war. She figured we should know what to do in case of a bomb threat."

"Yeah, I guess she's right," I say. "So what happened to me? What's wrong with me?"

"Well, you have some light bruising on your back from where you fell on the stairs. And a small concussion I'm guessing, since the size of the bruise on your head, where you hit your head on the railing when you went down," my mother informs.

A thought then occurs to me. "I was pushed," I whisper.

"What?" my mother asks.

"I distinctly remember hands on my back before I fell," I say. "Someone pushed me."

My mother and Prim exchange a glance. "That's what we were afraid of," Prim whispers.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"The bruising on your back?" my mother asks. I nod for her to continue. "They are hand prints."

That only meant one thing. Someone in District Thirteen was out to get me.

* * *

It was hours later when something that Prim had said earlier finally registered in my head. Hazelle was sitting with me. She was telling me something crazy that Posy had done when I interrupt her, "Where's Gale?" I ask.

Her smile instantly fades. "Umm," she stutters. She has a concerned look on his face. "Your mother didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" I ask.

Suddenly Prim bursts into the room.

"Hey, Katniss!" she exclaims. "How are you feeling?"

"Earlier-" I begin. Then pause and take a deep breath. "Earlier when you said that some people were on their way to start a war? Who? Who is on there way to start a war?"

Prim's face pales. "Uh, um," she stumbles.

"He went, didn't he?" I ask.

"It was volunteer only," Hazelle says. "Gale felt that he had to go. He said that they were his best friends; that he owed it to them to save them."

"That doesn't make any sense. What would he owe them?" I'm yelling now.

"I don't know, honey," Hazelle replies. "John went too."

"Oh my, god," I whisper.

I should have told him.

_I love you, Gale._

* * *

I was in command the next day with my father, Coin, Paige, Beetee, and, surprisingly, Finnick Odair, and Johanna Mason. I hadn't seen them since the day I first arrived in District Thirteen. Apparently Annie, Finnick's fiance, was in the hospital because of complications with their first child.

The volunteers were just about to arrive at the opening of the arena. We still had clear communication with them but Beetee thought that as soon as they were inside the arena we would lose signal with them. But he was not one hundred percent sure.

That would be the worst part, I think. If we lose signal when they enter the arena, we will not know if they are in trouble. They said that they could attempt it in less than fifteen minutes while Beetee distracted the Capitol with Propaganda nonsense that we have been recording for the past few weeks. If they weren't out of there in fifteen minutes or less, they were most likely dead.

"Alright, we see the arena," Commander Boggs says over the speaker.

"Great is everyone geared up and ready?" Plutarch asks.

"Yes," Boggs replies.

Plutarch stays silent as Boggs goes over his commands.

"Alright, everyone! Beetee has helped us greatly by breaking into the Capitol's system once again," Boggs begins.

Beetee starts tapping on some buttons on the desk that is in front of him.

"Beetee?" Boggs asks.

"Just a minute-" he continues tapping.

"Ah! Okay, you're ready to go, Commander Boggs," he answers.

"If you all will look on your communicuffs you will see a map. This map has dots on it that locate each tribute's whereabouts in the arena. Since the beginning of the games, already twelve people have died. That leaves twelve others to rescue. Now there are six of us going into that arena so I think you all can do the basic mathematics. Two tributes for each of us. Lock in on your communicuff which tributes you will be rescuing as I point them out to you."

I guess Boggs shows each person their tributes because he is silent for about a minute before we hear him speak again.

"You have fifteen minutes to get to your tributes, convince them to come with you or drag them with you or, as your last resort, knock them out, and get back to the hovercraft. If you are not back by then you will be left. The hovercraft will be hovering over the cornucopia."

"I see the entrance to the arena!" the pilot exclaims.

"Soldiers! Take you positions!" Boggs yells.

"Three, two, one," Beetee counts. "Okay, we're clear! Lower them into the arena. You have fifteen minutes. If you can make it less that'd be great."

"We're going down," Boggs says.

And, as we thought, the line goes dead.


	18. Chapter 18

"No," I whisper.

"It's okay," my father whispers back reassuringly.

But it doesn't reassure me. Tears begin to fall down my face as I worry for the fate of all of the volunteers. And worst of all my best friend and his father.

"Please be okay," Paige whispers from my left side and her hand falls to her stomach. Her gaze is focused on the screen and I am pretty positive she doesn't know that I saw the exchange. But I did. And a chill runs down my spine as I think of what it might mean.

I shake that idea out of my head as soon as I think it. Gale wouldn't be that stupid and careless, would he?

My thoughts are interrupted by the muffled sound of Commander Boggs.

"Beetee? Beetee can you hear me?" he says. The sound is muffled and scraggly but we can make out what he is saying.

"Beetee?" he continues.

"I don't think he can hear you, Boggs," Gale's voice cuts in. And a smile spreads across my face. He's alive.

"Shut it, Hawthorne and go find your tributes!" Boggs exclaims.

"Beetee?" Boggs asks again.

"Commander Boggs! Yes I'm here!" Beetee replies quickly.

"Great! Can-" there's a short pause and then his voice cuts back in. "-hear me okay?"

"Your in and out Commander."

"Well-" pause. "-better-" pause. "-nothing."

"Yes, that is better than nothing," Beetee replies. "Now go find your tributes, Commander. Save the access for if you actually need it."

"Gotcha! Over and out!" he replies. And the line is nothing but static again.

* * *

We are almost ten minutes into the rescue when Beetee exclaims.

"Oh no!"

"What?!" Paige jumps up.

"What is it?" I ask along side of her.

"I think we lost a tribute," he replies.

"How do you know?" Plutarch asks while coming up behind him.

"You see this map?" Beetee asks. Plutarch nods. "It's the same map that the soldiers have on their communicuffs. The one with the locations of the tributes. One of the dots just disappeared."

"Beetee?" Boggs suddenly interrupts. "Beetee! Come in, Beetee."

"Yes, Commander, I'm here. What's the problem?" Beetee asks, slightly panicked.

"One of the dots for one of my tributes has disappeared. Is everything okay?" Boggs asks.

"Yes, I believe that one of your tributes has died," Beetee replies slowly. "Just continue with finding the one that you have left and return to the hovercraft."

"But I didn't hear a cannon. How could they be dead?" Boggs asks.

"We still have control over the Capitol. They cannot control anything. So they cannot sound a cannon when a tribute dies. Please continue your mission, Commander. You have less than five minutes. My map shows that there are still three tributes out there. One must be yours and the other two one of your men's. The rest are at the cornucopia. Please hurry, Commander. Over and out!"

* * *

Boggs made it back to the hovercraft in less than two minutes after talking to Beetee. That left one of the men still out there. By Beetee's map it showed that there were two tributes together and it seemed like they were headed for the cornucopia.

"Who's missing?" Beetee asked Boggs when Boggs returned to the hovercraft.

Boggs was silent for a few minutes then replied, "Hawthorne." And my head went to my hands and Paige's gasps filled the room.

"He's almost here," Boggs continues. "I can see him. He's at the edge of the clearing. Come on, Gale! Get your ass in here!"

"Thirty seconds!" Beetee warns. "Boggs have the medics start taking trackers out of the other tributes!"

We can hear Boggs throwing commands around and encouraging Gale and the two tributes to run faster.

"Fifteen seconds!" Beetee exclaims.

And that's when it happens again. The line goes dead.

"No!" I scream, jumping from my seat. "No!"

I run to Beetee's side. "No! There's no way we lost it! It was working just fine."

"I'm losing it!" Beetee yells. "Plutarch get her out of my ear!"

"No!" I scream again as Plutarch and my father each take an arm. "No! Please let go! I promise! I promise I'll be good. Just let go!"

"I'm losing control!" Beetee says again. He's pressing lots of buttons and I can't keep up where his hands are going. Sweat begins to collect at his brow as he types faster at the buttons. Then, suddenly, the screen shows what the Capitol is broadcasting. It's the arena. And it's completely empty.

Beetee sighs. "I lost it. If they're not out by now, they're dead."

Beetee rolls his chair over to his headset that he was using to talk to Boggs.

"Commander?" he asks. "Commander this is Beetee! Come in Commander."

Silence. Not even static.

"Commander?"

Silence once again.

Beetee sighs then turns to me. "I'm sorry, Katniss."

And I lose conscious.

* * *

"I knew we shouldn't have let her be there," my father says. "She was still recovering."

"She's fine, honey," my mother replies. "It's not the concussion that made her faint. It was the idea that Gale might be dead."

"Still," he sighs. And, although my eyes were shut, just by the tone of his voice I could see him run his hand down his face in misery. "She wasn't strong enough to be there. We should have never even told her that Gale went."

"And what would we have told her if he never showed up to see her in hospital? Or if he died? Where would we say he went?" she asks.

"I don't know," he sighs again. "She's too young to be facing pressures like this."

"She's in love, Jacob and-"

"She's too young to be in love," he interrupts.

"But she's older for her years. She had to grow up too fast. And besides," my mother pauses and when she speaks again I can hear the smile in her voice. "How old were we when we fell in love?"

My father sighs, "Fifteen."

"Fifteen," my mother confirms. "And I had Katniss when I turned seventeen."

"It's different now," my father says.

"How is it different, Jacob?" my mother exclaims. "Katniss is nineteen years old. She'll be okay!"

"She shouldn't be in love with a twenty-two year old," dad replies.

"She's about to turn twenty. It's hardly a two year difference," my mother defends.

"But still! He's two years older than she is," my father says.

"Is this truly about her age?" my mother asks.

My father sighs, "No."

"Then what is it?" she asks.

"It's-" he pauses. "It's Gale. I just don't trust him."

"Why?" my mother asks.

"He's leading Katniss on," he replies.

"And how is he doing that?" my mother asks. By the tone of her voice I can tell that she is becoming irritated.

"I caught him and Paige Coin in a supplies closet the other day! He's leading Katniss on! And I won't have her around him if he is just going to hurt her!"

My mother sighs, "He's not leading her on. He's coping. Katniss told him the other day that she wasn't ready for a relationship with him. She admitted that she loved him. And we've known all along that he loved her. I mean it's never been a secret. He's just trying to cope with what his brain is telling him. Which is that Katniss will never love him. And that's completely ridiculous."

"But-"

"Please, Jacob," my mother interrupts. "Let her live her life. As much as I hate to admit it, the way things are going now she doesn't have much of one left."

* * *

I fell asleep after my parents conversation. I pretty sure they do not know that I was listening. They would have never said any of those things to my face.

I woke a couple hours later to a commotion outside my hospital room. When I open my eyes my room is empty so I sit up and stand from my bed.

I slowly exit and when I am standing in the doorway of my room Finnick Odair comes racing by me.

"Finnick!" I yell but my voice is hoarse from non-use.

"Finnick!" I try again and this time he hears me.

"What's going on?" I ask when he faces me.

"They're back!" is all he says to me before he takes off in a run again and speeds around the corner out of sight.

"They're back," I whisper. "Gale."


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Hey guys! Just a little warning this is the second chapter I have posted tonight so don't get confused. If you have not read chapter 18 go back and read it! Thanks! Make sure you review!**

* * *

I took one step out of my hospital room but was immediately stopped.

"Woah, woah!" Prim says. "Where are you headed?"

"Gale," I answer quickly. "He's back."

"No, Katniss," she says sternly. "He will come visit you after the medics look him over. You aren't well enough to leave the room yet."

"I am to well enough," I protest like a child. But the minute I stomp my foot I almost fall to the ground.

"See?" Prim gloats. "Come on. You need to lie back down."

Prim takes my arm and leads me back to my bed. She gives me some pills to help the pain in my head.

"I'm sure he's fine, Katniss," she answers when I ask if she has seen him yet.

"So you haven't seen him," I state.

She shakes her head, "No."

"I need to see him!" I exclaim.

"I know you do, Katniss. When the medics say that he is well enough I'm sure he will come running down here to see you," she replies.

* * *

It's two hours later when my door opens again. And the sight before me is bruised and beautiful. Gale.

He's still in his soldier uniform and he has a black eye.

"What happened?" I exclaim as I jump from my bed.

He walks to me and I fall in his arms. I take his face in my hands. "What happened?" I ask again.

"Boggs decided to give me the toughest pair," he replies. "Of course he didn't know that they were both from District One. They fought me until I finally convinced them to come with me. That's why I was the last one the hovercraft."

"My god! I'm so glad you're okay," I whisper and fall into his arms once again, my head on his chest.

"I was so worried," I whisper.

"What happened to you?" he asks. "Why are you still in here? Your mother told me, before I left, that you would only be in here for a couple of hours."

"Someone pushed me on the stairs on our way to The Underground. I have a concussion and some bruising on my back. Then when we lost the connection to you all I fainted. Mom made them bring me back here. She thought it was something with my concussion but it turned out to be you. But she doesn't know that I know that."

"Me?" he asks.

"I thought you were dead, Gale," I whisper. "I completely lost it."

He sighs, "Katniss, I will never leave you again. I promise!" He places his forehead to mine. And that's when I knew it was time. He deserved the words that I was about to say to him and it shouldn't have taken him almost dying for me to say them.

"Gale," I sigh. "Gale I lo-"

But I'm interrupted. The door swings open and my mother sprints into the room.

"Sorry if I interrupted! But I just thought you might want to know. Paige is on her way over here," she says, her voice breathy.

"Why?" I ask a little too forcefully.

She turns to Gale slowly. "She has something to tell you."

Just then Paige bursts into the room.

"Oh, Gale!" she exclaims dramatically. I roll my eyes. "I'm so glad you're okay."

She throws herself into his arms ignoring me completely. Her actions almost make me fall to the ground when she bumps into me to get to Gale. She looks up at him with huge eyes that are far from the innocent look that she is trying to portray.

"I need to tell you something," she says. "Gale. I'm pregnant."

I exchange a glance with my mother. The pain that is immanent in my heart at that moment must be written on my face as well. My mother crosses over to me, grabs my arm, and leads me to a chair.

"Are you sure?" Gale asks, his voice cracking.

It's my mother who replies with a sigh, "I examined her myself."

I look over at Gale and Paige, and find a smiling face and a horrified face.

"No! I mean are you sure it's mine?" he asks.

"How dare you! How dare you even consider that this baby is someone else's!" Paige explodes.

"Well is it?" I chime in. "Is it possible that it's someone else's?"

"No, of course not!" she replies.

"You're lying," Gale says calmly.

"What? No, I'm not!"

"Yes, you are," I say. "Your eye is twitching and every time you say you're pregnant your voice cracks."

"That's not true!" her voice cracks and I snort.

"Oh! So you do that every time you lie," I state.

She just glares at me and I begin to nod slowly.

She sighs and turns to Gale. "It's Witt," she says.

Gale snorts. "How did I know that that was what you were going to say? Oh, I know! Because Witt is the only real friend I've made here. You always go after my friends."

"That's not true!" she exclaims, pleadingly.

"Oh, just cut the crap!" I yell.

She glares at me. "Glaring isn't gonna get you anywhere, hon," I say.

"You know," my mother says for the first time in a while. "I have an idea. It came to me when Gale said that Paige always goes after his friends. Katniss, will you please lift the back of your shirt."

I look at my mother strangely but stand and lift my shirt.

"What does this have to do with anything?" Paige huffs.

My mother looks over my shoulder at Paige and back to my back.

"Gale come here for a minute," my mother says.

Gale crosses the room and stands behind me by my mother. He gasps when he sees my back.

"Is that-" he begins.

"Yes," my mother replies. "Hand prints."

"Hand prints?" Paige exclaims. She crosses the room while saying, "There's no way! I didn't push her that hard!" Then she freezes when she realizes what she has just said.

My mother crosses over to her and grabs both of her wrists. She drags her to my backside and lightly places Paige's hands to the bruises on my back.

"A perfect match," Gale mutters.

"You little bitch!" I exclaim.

"I can promise you that I'm not the bitch here," Paige replies.

"Well you fuck like one," I retort.

"Okay!" Gale exclaims. He turns to Paige, "It's time for you to go."

"Why do I have to leave?" Paige yells.

"Uh, it's my room, dimwit!" I reply.

My mother sighs, "Come on, Paige. I'll escort you to your grandmother."

They walk to the door but before they exit Paige turns. "When this kid is born with all of your features, you won't be able ignore it or deny it then. This baby is yours. The sooner you accept it, the better."

"I guess we'll find out when it's born, then," Gale replies.

They leave.

"Witt?" I ask.

"The only half way decent person I've met while in District Thirteen," he replies.

I sigh, "I told you, Gale. I told you from the beginning that that girl was trouble."

"No, you didn't," he retorts. "You told me that you didn't like her. That you were jealous of her. Speaking of jealous, what was that you were about to say before your mother got here?" he grins.

"It's not important anymore," I snap. "I know that you know what I was going to tell you. But that was before you were a possible candidate for 'Soon to be Father'."

I sit down in the chair that I was sitting in before and kneels down in front of me.

"Katniss, please," he begs. "You were ready to say it. You actually felt it."

"I do feel it," I confirm in a whisper. "I need to lie down. My head hurts."

Gale sighs and takes my hands. He leads me over to my bed and helps me into the bed although I don't need the help. He climbs in beside me without my permission.

Wrapping his arms around me he whispers, "Please, Katniss. Just say it. I need to hear you say it."

My eyes are getting heavier and as my mind falls into blackness, I whisper, "I love you, Gale."


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Okay guys... So this is it. I know some of you are probably going to hate the way I ended this but honestly, as I have said in other chapters, I am getting tired of this story. As most of you know I am in the middle of writing a new story and feel that it will be a lot better than what this one has turned out to be. Hopefully I wrap up all of the outstanding questions that you have for this story. This will probably be the longest chapter because it is wrapping a lot of things up. But it is mostly talking about the future of everyone that was involved in the story.**

**I want to thank all of you for your constant support throughout this story and I hope that you will follow me throughout my next story, ****_Convenience. _****Thanks!**

**And now... the very last chapter of ****_Here with Me_****.**

* * *

**Chapter 20**

It's strange to think how I got here.

The day after Gale and the soldiers returned from their rescue, the Capitol declared war. The bombs reigned all around us but the Capitol could never find our exact location. President Coin, the "good guy" at the time, refused to to give away our location, so no counter attack was portrayed that day. The counter attack came when they least expected it.

It was quiet in the districts for an entire year before Coin forced a counter attack. And the Capitol was ruined. In that year we had gotten all but District Two to join our side. That's how we won the war in one attack. The Capitol had no resources to attack back. President Snow put his white flag up that day. And the day after he surrendered he was executed by my arrow.

I wasn't even needed as The Mockingjay. They never used me as they said they were going to.

Everything was perfect. Until Coin decided that it was time for clean up in the districts.

Most of the districts were fine after the Capitol's attack. But some of them rioted during the year that we waited to counter attack. They wanted to attack now. They wrecked havoc in their own district and it didn't even bring any harm to us.

After the so called "war", Coin decided to send all of the soldiers to districts to clean. That included all children over the age of thirteen.

Gale, my family, and I were all luckily sent to District Seven with Johanna Mason. Finnick Odair, Annie Cresta Odair, and their son Finny were sent back home to District Four to clean.

We were the lucky ones.

The not so lucky ones were the children that were sent to Capitol. Of course they were all Capitol children. That's the reason the bombs reigned down on them that day. Coin thought it best to get rid of the spawn of the Capitol people so any unfiltered ideas of another Hunger Games would never be on any of their minds. Everyone in the districts disagreed. And in reply to her insanity? Another person's blood on my hands.

Not long after the war Delly Cartwright became Delly Garret. Delly, Thom, and their daughter, Katie, moved back to District Twelve after the war.

And that's where my family and I live now.

"Katie!" Delly yells. "Don't run off!"

Delly grunts and sits back on the porch swing that Gale put up after we returned.

"I swear that girl is going to be the death of me," Delly says as she sits.

"Oh come on," I object. "She's precious! And only a little over a year. She just started walking. You can't expect her not to use her new found skill. She wants to explore."

"She gets it from Thom," Delly mutters.

I laugh.

"And that's a bad thing?" Annie asks from across the porch.

She giggles along with me. "I guess not," she replies.

"At least she's adventurous," Annie says, then glances over at the barely two year old, Finny. He's sitting on the porch coloring in an old coloring book that Greasy Sae gave him when Annie and Finnick decided to come visit.

"Yeah, I saw that," I say. "He hasn't looked up from that coloring book since he got it."

"I hope our second one is a little bit calmer," Delly says while rubbing her slightly swollen belly.

"I wish the opposite for ours," Annie replies.

I stay silent. Everybody is silent for a while. I think they can feel the tension coming off of me.

"What about you, Katniss?" Annie asks.

"Yeah, Katniss!" Delly exclaims. "Any children coming up soon?"

I snort. "Yeah right," I reply.

But I'm just trying to hide the truth. I had been wanting kids since Katie was born. When I first held her in my arms I knew that I wanted one just like her. I little girl to call my own. I had mentioned it to Gale a couple times but he would just blow it off and say that I was kidding myself and that I wasn't ready. But I was. At least I thought I was.

"And plus you know I'm still a virgin," I mutter.

"I just don't understand his logic sometimes," Delly says. "I was pregnant with Katie before Thom and I got married."

"Yeah, us too," Annie says. "I gave birth to Finny before I even married Finnick. But we were engaged."

"And that's the thing I don't want to get married," I continue. "I don't think it's that big of a deal."

"I don't think it's that big of a deal now," Delly replies. "But before the war," I flinch. "Sorry!"

"It's fine; keep going," I reply.

"Before the war," she continues. "It was a huge deal. If you walked around a district pregnant and not married, you were shunned."

"I know but none of that matters now," I say. "Gale wants to live the way that we used to and I don't want to remember that past life. It's too painful."

"What's too painful?" Gale's panicked voice cuts in from behind us. "Are you okay, Catnip?"

He kneels in front of me. "Are you hurt?"

I scoff. "God! No, Gale I'm fine. We were talking about before and during the war."

"Well what brought that up?" Finnick asks, walking around and kneeling front of Annie. He kisses her and then begins placing feathery kisses in her protruding stomach. I glance at them longingly and watch as Thom walks around and does the same to Delly. I sigh.

"We were talking about pregnancy out of wedlock," Delly replies.

"Yeah," Annie replies. "I mean, do you really have to be married to have a baby?"

Gale glances at me and recognition crosses his face. He stands from his position before me and walks back into the house without a word.

My eyes begin to fill with tears. "See?" I say to the four desperate faces.

"Oh, Katniss," Annie says and begins to get up to comfort me. But I stop her.

"Don't," I say. "You really don't need to be on your feet."

I wipe my tears on the sleeve of my shirt and stand. I place a smile on my face and yell, "Katie?"

She turns from her place on the see saw. I don't know when but little Finny has joined her.

"Katie, Finny. Why don't you guys come in and I will make you both a snack?" I ask.

Huge smiles stretch across their faces and one the them jumps from the see saw and begins running as fast as her little legs can carry her. Finny calmly stands from his place on the see saw and walks over ever so slowly.

"Hopefully your Aunt Prim has some lunch ready," I say with a grin.

I grab them both by the hand and lead them into the kitchen.

"I just don't know what to do," I hear Gale say as we enter.

"Go sit at the table and I'll bring you both some lunch," I say to the children. I glance at them lovingly as they follow my order and sit at the table.

I turn and find my father, John, Prim, and Gale staring at me from across the kitchen.

I make my way towards them as I ask, "Don't know what to do about what?"

Gale ignores me and walks from the room. I roll my eyes.

"Why is he being so childish?" I ask no in particular.

"Because he loves you, Kat," Prim answers.

She walks to the counter and begins making a sandwich. I share a glance with both John and my father then sigh.

When Prim is finished with the sandwich she cuts it in half them places the halves on two separate plates. "Here," she says.

I grab both plates that she offers me and bring them over to the table placing them in front of the children. I return to the cabinet and grab two plastic cups and fill them with water, then too place them in front of the children.

"I just don't understand," I say. "I mean even you and Rory are having a baby out of wedlock."

Yep, my baby sister was going to be a mother before I was. As soon as they turned eighteen, they were both out of their parent's house. Prim still helps mother with the new apothecary shop that she opened after the war and Hazelle helps as well. Rory and Prim moved into an empty house that had been built and they swore that they would never marry. They thought what I thought. That it wasn't that important.

"But it's different between us," Prim replies. "As much as Rory is like Gale in so many ways; this is one thing that he doesn't have in common with Gale. You should talk to Gale. Maybe he'll give you some answers."

And, like always, I listen to my little sister.

* * *

I lie in my bed that night. Gale is still pissed and the only reason I know is because I am not in his arms. He's in our bed with me but there is at least a foot between us when usually there are mere centimeters between us.

I know he's awake because every now and then I hear his breathing falter. Finally, after too much silence, I turn over and find that our backs had been to each other.

"Why are you so upset with me?" I ask.

"I can't hear you," he replies. "I'm sleeping."

"Gale, please!" I exclaim. "Just tell me."

He turns over onto his side and faces me. "You really want to know?" he asks.

"Yes," I reply forcefully, and I caress his cheek.

He sighs. "I thought you knew me better than that."

I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion. "I don't understand."

"I want to do this right, Katniss," he says. "And so far I've only done one thing right and that's asking your father permission to marry you."

"I still don't understand, Gale," I say. "What do you mean 'do it right'?"

"I had it all planned out, Katniss. Before you were reaped, I had it all planned out. When you turned eighteen and your father came home I was going to ask him if I could marry you. I always pictured that he would say yes and I would respect his wishes if he said no. But if he did say yes then I would ask you to marry me and I would do the same for you, respect your wishes if you said no. But in my mind you always said yes. I pictured this tiny wedding with just our families and Greasy Sae and Thom and Delly. And then that's when I finally see it. You, pregnant with my child. In my mind it's the most glorious sight. That's why, Katniss. That's why I can't make love to you until we are married. I want all the things that lead up to you carrying my child. I want all the little things."

"But," I begin. Then sigh. "Don't take this as a low blow, but you slept with other girls. And you won't sleep with me? And what about Paige?"

"Yes," he replies truthfully. "I slept with other girls. But you have to understand! None of those girls mattered to me. None of them! You were the only one that ever mattered to me so I knew that when the time came you were the only one that I would ever do it right with. You were the only one that I would marry before I made love to you. And when I do make love to you, you will be the only woman that I ever truly want and the only woman that I will ever make love to again. The other girls? It was just sex. A way for me to cope with the thought of possibly never having you. But now that I know that you want me too? It all comes back to doing it right. And Paige? She's dead, Katniss. We will never know if that baby was mine or not, and I'm betting on the 'or not'. It doesn't matter now."

The rumor that had gone around District Thirteen after Paige's death was that she committed suicide. A few months after the Capitol bombed us Paige's body was found in her compartment. My mother searched her body and found an unimaginable amount of Morphling on her and in her blood stream. Nobody knew what to think but that she killed herself and her baby. Gale of course was distraught for a while considering the fact that the baby might have been his.

"So," he pauses. "Will you marry me, Catnip?"

I smirk. "It depends. Will you make love to me?"

"After you marry me," he replies with the same smirk.

I sigh. "Okay," I reply, fake reluctantly.

"Woah! Settle down! Don't act too excited!" he laughs. "Why do I feel like you are just marrying me to get into my bed."

"Umm. Technically, I'm already in your bed," I reply smartly.

"You know what I mean," he says seriously now.

"Well, I kinda am," I reply sweetly. "You know how I feel about marriage, Gale."

"Yeah, and I also thought I knew how you felt about children and that changed. So hopefully this will change too."

"I don't know. Maybe it will," I giggle. "Or maybe not!"

"God, I love you," he says.

"I love you, too."

**The End!**

* * *

**And there you have it! The end of _Here With Me_. I hope you all liked it. Please let me know in a review or PM.**

**If I have left any unfinished business out, please let me know and I will add it in as soon as possible.**

**Thanks again to all of the wonderful readers that followed me from the beginning. Stay alert for my new story that I will be continuing in the next few months. I think I will be taking a few weeks off just to contemplate what to write for this next story.**

**Any suggestions for that story are welcome. Just go read the first chapter that I have posted, tell me what you think, and let me know of any ideas that you may have.**

**Thanks again. And see you all soon when I begin posting my next story. See ya!**


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